Piper 180 pilot has fuel starvation during approach to fme.

Attributes
ACN	572216
Time
Date	200301
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fme.airport
State Reference	MD
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon tower : sequ.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	572216
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was approaching fort meade, md, runway 28 in my piper 180 when my engine lost all power though the propeller continued to windmill. I was about 3 mi from the end of the runway and in a descent. I had just canceled my IFR plan with baltimore and had switched to the fort meade unicom. I immediately switched back to baltimore to advise my situation. After I gained the runway, I let baltimore know all was ok. He acknowledged. Later I called FSS to make sure baltimore knew the outcome. The evident reason for the engine out was a lack of fuel in the left tank. I was completing my landing check when the problem occurred, and there was no time to finish. The engine fired up after a touchdown bump in the field before the runway which permitted a normal landing. The evident reason for the fuel problem was a recent overhaul which reduced the time on each tank from 2 1/2 hours to 2. I was aware of this and was still using mineral oil. Since the flight took 3 hours from connecticut, there would have been 1 hour left in the right tank. Having not completed my landing check due to the problem, I did not know that. The solution is to start landing checks earlier, probably before descent. Obviously this mistake will not be repeated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER 180 PLT HAS FUEL STARVATION DURING APCH TO FME.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING FORT MEADE, MD, RWY 28 IN MY PIPER 180 WHEN MY ENG LOST ALL PWR THOUGH THE PROP CONTINUED TO WINDMILL. I WAS ABOUT 3 MI FROM THE END OF THE RWY AND IN A DSCNT. I HAD JUST CANCELED MY IFR PLAN WITH BALTIMORE AND HAD SWITCHED TO THE FORT MEADE UNICOM. I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED BACK TO BALTIMORE TO ADVISE MY SIT. AFTER I GAINED THE RWY, I LET BALTIMORE KNOW ALL WAS OK. HE ACKNOWLEDGED. LATER I CALLED FSS TO MAKE SURE BALTIMORE KNEW THE OUTCOME. THE EVIDENT REASON FOR THE ENG OUT WAS A LACK OF FUEL IN THE L TANK. I WAS COMPLETING MY LNDG CHK WHEN THE PROB OCCURRED, AND THERE WAS NO TIME TO FINISH. THE ENG FIRED UP AFTER A TOUCHDOWN BUMP IN THE FIELD BEFORE THE RWY WHICH PERMITTED A NORMAL LNDG. THE EVIDENT REASON FOR THE FUEL PROB WAS A RECENT OVERHAUL WHICH REDUCED THE TIME ON EACH TANK FROM 2 1/2 HRS TO 2. I WAS AWARE OF THIS AND WAS STILL USING MINERAL OIL. SINCE THE FLT TOOK 3 HRS FROM CONNECTICUT, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN 1 HR LEFT IN THE R TANK. HAVING NOT COMPLETED MY LNDG CHK DUE TO THE PROB, I DID NOT KNOW THAT. THE SOLUTION IS TO START LNDG CHKS EARLIER, PROBABLY BEFORE DSCNT. OBVIOUSLY THIS MISTAKE WILL NOT BE REPEATED.

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.