PA44-180 pilots land with less than required reserve fuel.

Attributes
ACN	567324
Time
Date	200212
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfk.airport
State Reference	ND
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ind.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-44 Seminole Turbo Seminole
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28.6 flight time total : 192.5 flight time type : 28.6
ASRS Report	567324
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauge other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

My instructor and I went on a review flight in a piper seminole around XA00. We were up for just over 1 hour. I preflted the airplane on the outside and she did the inside. It was getting dark when I checked the fuel. I did not use a flashlight to look, like I should have. I had a hard time reading the ruler on the gas cap, but thought it was at about 4 1/2 inches on each tank (normally filled to 5-7 inches). I looked inside both tanks and saw fuel. While we were flying, the fuel gauges were hard to read. The panel lights behind the gauges were extremely dim. Once again, I didn't use a flashlight to doublechk. Normally our planes are fueled between flts and we were going on a short flight, so I guess I got negligent in the preflight since it was also very cold out. My instructor did not doublechk the fuel. I honestly thought we had plenty of fuel for the flight. When line fueled the plane when we got back, they reported we returned with less than our required reserve.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA44-180 PLTS LAND WITH LESS THAN REQUIRED RESERVE FUEL.

Narrative: MY INSTRUCTOR AND I WENT ON A REVIEW FLT IN A PIPER SEMINOLE AROUND XA00. WE WERE UP FOR JUST OVER 1 HR. I PREFLTED THE AIRPLANE ON THE OUTSIDE AND SHE DID THE INSIDE. IT WAS GETTING DARK WHEN I CHKED THE FUEL. I DID NOT USE A FLASHLIGHT TO LOOK, LIKE I SHOULD HAVE. I HAD A HARD TIME READING THE RULER ON THE GAS CAP, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS AT ABOUT 4 1/2 INCHES ON EACH TANK (NORMALLY FILLED TO 5-7 INCHES). I LOOKED INSIDE BOTH TANKS AND SAW FUEL. WHILE WE WERE FLYING, THE FUEL GAUGES WERE HARD TO READ. THE PANEL LIGHTS BEHIND THE GAUGES WERE EXTREMELY DIM. ONCE AGAIN, I DIDN'T USE A FLASHLIGHT TO DOUBLECHK. NORMALLY OUR PLANES ARE FUELED BTWN FLTS AND WE WERE GOING ON A SHORT FLT, SO I GUESS I GOT NEGLIGENT IN THE PREFLT SINCE IT WAS ALSO VERY COLD OUT. MY INSTRUCTOR DID NOT DOUBLECHK THE FUEL. I HONESTLY THOUGHT WE HAD PLENTY OF FUEL FOR THE FLT. WHEN LINE FUELED THE PLANE WHEN WE GOT BACK, THEY RPTED WE RETURNED WITH LESS THAN OUR REQUIRED RESERVE.

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.