MD500 pilot has engine failure due to fuel starvation and autorotates.

Attributes
ACN	592150
Time
Date	200308
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	MD Helicopter 500/C/D/E/L
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	592150
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was on a day VFR scouting trip to find acceptable off-site landing areas. I fly for a local television station. I was PIC in a mcdonnell douglas 500D helicopter. The preflight inspection was normal. Every caution and warning light functioned upon testing. The fuel gauge showed full tanks, which is 2.5 hours of flight time until empty. The planned flight was only 1 hour in duration. The entire flight went according to plan until I was on the way home. I contacted ZZZ tower to get clearance to land. I was issued instructions to join right traffic for landing. At approximately 4 or 5 mi from the apt the engine flamed out. I tried to restart with no success, so I issued a mayday to the control tower. I performed a full autorotation into a cow pasture. There was absolutely no damage to the ship or to any persons or property. Upon inspection, the fuel tanks were empty. It was also found that the fuel-sending unit was faulty, and the low fuel warning system was not operating as well. They have since both been replaced/fixed. In retrospect, if there were a way to visually inspect the fuel level in the tanks, this occurrence would have been avoided. I have since started using a notched broomstick to check the actual fuel level in my preflight inspection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD500 PLT HAS ENG FAILURE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION AND AUTOROTATES.

Narrative: I WAS ON A DAY VFR SCOUTING TRIP TO FIND ACCEPTABLE OFF-SITE LNDG AREAS. I FLY FOR A LCL TELEVISION STATION. I WAS PIC IN A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS 500D HELI. THE PREFLT INSPECTION WAS NORMAL. EVERY CAUTION AND WARNING LIGHT FUNCTIONED UPON TESTING. THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWED FULL TANKS, WHICH IS 2.5 HRS OF FLT TIME UNTIL EMPTY. THE PLANNED FLT WAS ONLY 1 HR IN DURATION. THE ENTIRE FLT WENT ACCORDING TO PLAN UNTIL I WAS ON THE WAY HOME. I CONTACTED ZZZ TWR TO GET CLRNC TO LAND. I WAS ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO JOIN R TFC FOR LNDG. AT APPROX 4 OR 5 MI FROM THE APT THE ENG FLAMED OUT. I TRIED TO RESTART WITH NO SUCCESS, SO I ISSUED A MAYDAY TO THE CTL TWR. I PERFORMED A FULL AUTOROTATION INTO A COW PASTURE. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO DAMAGE TO THE SHIP OR TO ANY PERSONS OR PROPERTY. UPON INSPECTION, THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT THE FUEL-SENDING UNIT WAS FAULTY, AND THE LOW FUEL WARNING SYS WAS NOT OPERATING AS WELL. THEY HAVE SINCE BOTH BEEN REPLACED/FIXED. IN RETROSPECT, IF THERE WERE A WAY TO VISUALLY INSPECT THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE TANKS, THIS OCCURRENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. I HAVE SINCE STARTED USING A NOTCHED BROOMSTICK TO CHK THE ACTUAL FUEL LEVEL IN MY PREFLT INSPECTION.

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.