Aeronca 7AC instructor and trainee had a forced landing due to fuel starvation.

Attributes
ACN	507040
Time
Date	200103
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vkx.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl single value : 150
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Aeronca Champion
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 13 flight time total : 256 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	507040
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While practicing takeoffs and lndgs in an aeronca champ as part of my training for tailwheel endorsement, I took off runway 24 at potomac airfield (vkx) for the 6TH time. After attaining about 150 ft altitude, but still over the runway, the engine sputtered a few times and began losing power. My instructor in the rear seat took the controls and landed the aircraft straight ahead on the grass between the end of the runway and the airport boundary. He then turned the aircraft around and taxied back to the hangar, where he shut off the engine. At first he suspected carburetor icing had caused the power loss, but after checking the fuel tank, we determined the fuel level was low enough that while climbing, the nose high attitude of the aircraft caused an inadequate supply of fuel to reach the engine to maintain full power -- even though at no time did the engine quit until we shut it off after the aircraft was parked at the hangar. While performing the preflight inspection, I had not visually checked the fuel level, but after starting the engine, I checked the fuel gauge in the cockpit and read it as 1/2 full. Subsequently, I believe I misread the gauge and that it had been closer to 1/4 full. A recurrence of this event could be prevented by following the preflight checklist and visually checking the fuel level.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AERONCA 7AC INSTRUCTOR AND TRAINEE HAD A FORCED LNDG DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: WHILE PRACTICING TKOFS AND LNDGS IN AN AERONCA CHAMP AS PART OF MY TRAINING FOR TAILWHEEL ENDORSEMENT, I TOOK OFF RWY 24 AT POTOMAC AIRFIELD (VKX) FOR THE 6TH TIME. AFTER ATTAINING ABOUT 150 FT ALT, BUT STILL OVER THE RWY, THE ENG SPUTTERED A FEW TIMES AND BEGAN LOSING PWR. MY INSTRUCTOR IN THE REAR SEAT TOOK THE CTLS AND LANDED THE ACFT STRAIGHT AHEAD ON THE GRASS BTWN THE END OF THE RWY AND THE ARPT BOUNDARY. HE THEN TURNED THE ACFT AROUND AND TAXIED BACK TO THE HANGAR, WHERE HE SHUT OFF THE ENG. AT FIRST HE SUSPECTED CARB ICING HAD CAUSED THE PWR LOSS, BUT AFTER CHKING THE FUEL TANK, WE DETERMINED THE FUEL LEVEL WAS LOW ENOUGH THAT WHILE CLBING, THE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE OF THE ACFT CAUSED AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL TO REACH THE ENG TO MAINTAIN FULL PWR -- EVEN THOUGH AT NO TIME DID THE ENG QUIT UNTIL WE SHUT IT OFF AFTER THE ACFT WAS PARKED AT THE HANGAR. WHILE PERFORMING THE PREFLT INSPECTION, I HAD NOT VISUALLY CHKED THE FUEL LEVEL, BUT AFTER STARTING THE ENG, I CHKED THE FUEL GAUGE IN THE COCKPIT AND READ IT AS 1/2 FULL. SUBSEQUENTLY, I BELIEVE I MISREAD THE GAUGE AND THAT IT HAD BEEN CLOSER TO 1/4 FULL. A RECURRENCE OF THIS EVENT COULD BE PREVENTED BY FOLLOWING THE PREFLT CHKLIST AND VISUALLY CHKING THE FUEL LEVEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.