Narrative:

I was conducting training for a student in a PA28R for a commercial certificate and was conducting maximum performance takeoffs and lndgs. We had just taken off and turned downwind when the engine sputtered and quit. I was abeam the departure end of ZZZ1 (3000 ft in length). I declared an emergency and landed downwind on runway 13R and stopped without incident. Subsequently; I restarted the engine and taxied to the ramp. Fortunately; the wind was calm so the downwind landing was not a problem. Also; we managed to get the gear down and locked prior to touchdown. Contributing factors: 1) failed to use complete checklist which is fuel on fullest tank. 2) we had flown the same airplane the night before. The aircraft operator keeps the tank at the tabs. I checked the fuel in the right tank and it appeared to be at the tab. The operator routinely fuels the airplane in the morning; so I assumed that the aircraft had been fueled. Approximately 1 hour the night before and an additional hour on the same tank resulted in fuel exhaustion in the right tank. Also; I never checked the gauges for fuel quantity during the flight. 3) almost all of my time for the last 3 yrs or so; has been in C172 and C182's in which we operate on both tanks most of the time and usually on short training flts of 1-2 hours. Therefore; switching of tanks during training flts is usually not necessary. If the engine had quit on takeoff or on an extended final approach; this would have been a serious accident. This is my first emergency landing in over 45 yrs of flying experience and it resulted from a classic case of failing to follow the aircraft checklist and poor preflight actions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PLTS ABOARD PA28 SUFFER ENG FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION IN SELECTED TANK. MAKE DEAD STICK EMER LNDG AT ZZZ.

Narrative: I WAS CONDUCTING TRAINING FOR A STUDENT IN A PA28R FOR A COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE AND WAS CONDUCTING MAX PERFORMANCE TKOFS AND LNDGS. WE HAD JUST TAKEN OFF AND TURNED DOWNWIND WHEN THE ENG SPUTTERED AND QUIT. I WAS ABEAM THE DEP END OF ZZZ1 (3000 FT IN LENGTH). I DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED DOWNWIND ON RWY 13R AND STOPPED WITHOUT INCIDENT. SUBSEQUENTLY; I RESTARTED THE ENG AND TAXIED TO THE RAMP. FORTUNATELY; THE WIND WAS CALM SO THE DOWNWIND LNDG WAS NOT A PROB. ALSO; WE MANAGED TO GET THE GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) FAILED TO USE COMPLETE CHKLIST WHICH IS FUEL ON FULLEST TANK. 2) WE HAD FLOWN THE SAME AIRPLANE THE NIGHT BEFORE. THE ACFT OPERATOR KEEPS THE TANK AT THE TABS. I CHKED THE FUEL IN THE R TANK AND IT APPEARED TO BE AT THE TAB. THE OPERATOR ROUTINELY FUELS THE AIRPLANE IN THE MORNING; SO I ASSUMED THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN FUELED. APPROX 1 HR THE NIGHT BEFORE AND AN ADDITIONAL HR ON THE SAME TANK RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION IN THE R TANK. ALSO; I NEVER CHKED THE GAUGES FOR FUEL QUANTITY DURING THE FLT. 3) ALMOST ALL OF MY TIME FOR THE LAST 3 YRS OR SO; HAS BEEN IN C172 AND C182'S IN WHICH WE OPERATE ON BOTH TANKS MOST OF THE TIME AND USUALLY ON SHORT TRAINING FLTS OF 1-2 HRS. THEREFORE; SWITCHING OF TANKS DURING TRAINING FLTS IS USUALLY NOT NECESSARY. IF THE ENG HAD QUIT ON TKOF OR ON AN EXTENDED FINAL APCH; THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS IS MY FIRST EMER LNDG IN OVER 45 YRS OF FLYING EXPERIENCE AND IT RESULTED FROM A CLASSIC CASE OF FAILING TO FOLLOW THE ACFT CHKLIST AND POOR PREFLT ACTIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.