C172 pilot miscalculates fuel requirements and lands with approximately 7 mins of usable fuel.

Attributes
ACN	672956
Time
Date	200509
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 150 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	672956
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I departed early afternoon. During preflight; I noticed the tanks were not quite full; but enough to make the flight there with 2+ hours reserve and planned to refuel at destination. Upon arrival; I noticed no one was working the FBO due to lunch. Once I returned to the airport from my lunch; the line man informed me that they did not accept the only method of payment I had available. I carried out my preflight and determined at that time with the given fuel and burn rate I would be able to make my destination just above FAA fuel minimums. En route; the winds were stronger than forecast and clouds required me to fly lower than anticipated. About 30 mi from destination; the right tank indicator was indicating a little under 1/8 tank with the left tank indication slightly more than 1/4. From these indications; I believed that I had sufficient fuel to make destination on time and just within fuel reserves. Upon landing; I was informed that my fuel tanks in fact held only 1/2 gallon above usable fuel; equaling approximately 7 mins of continued engine operation. This occurrence has driven home the point of not rushing and to never trust fuel gauges. In my haste to return; I forced myself to gamble with my life. However; never again will I make such a mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT MISCALCULATES FUEL REQUIREMENTS AND LANDS WITH APPROX 7 MINS OF USABLE FUEL.

Narrative: I DEPARTED EARLY AFTERNOON. DURING PREFLT; I NOTICED THE TANKS WERE NOT QUITE FULL; BUT ENOUGH TO MAKE THE FLT THERE WITH 2+ HRS RESERVE AND PLANNED TO REFUEL AT DEST. UPON ARR; I NOTICED NO ONE WAS WORKING THE FBO DUE TO LUNCH. ONCE I RETURNED TO THE ARPT FROM MY LUNCH; THE LINE MAN INFORMED ME THAT THEY DID NOT ACCEPT THE ONLY METHOD OF PAYMENT I HAD AVAILABLE. I CARRIED OUT MY PREFLT AND DETERMINED AT THAT TIME WITH THE GIVEN FUEL AND BURN RATE I WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE MY DEST JUST ABOVE FAA FUEL MINIMUMS. ENRTE; THE WINDS WERE STRONGER THAN FORECAST AND CLOUDS REQUIRED ME TO FLY LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED. ABOUT 30 MI FROM DEST; THE R TANK INDICATOR WAS INDICATING A LITTLE UNDER 1/8 TANK WITH THE L TANK INDICATION SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 1/4. FROM THESE INDICATIONS; I BELIEVED THAT I HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL TO MAKE DEST ON TIME AND JUST WITHIN FUEL RESERVES. UPON LNDG; I WAS INFORMED THAT MY FUEL TANKS IN FACT HELD ONLY 1/2 GALLON ABOVE USABLE FUEL; EQUALING APPROX 7 MINS OF CONTINUED ENG OP. THIS OCCURRENCE HAS DRIVEN HOME THE POINT OF NOT RUSHING AND TO NEVER TRUST FUEL GAUGES. IN MY HASTE TO RETURN; I FORCED MYSELF TO GAMBLE WITH MY LIFE. HOWEVER; NEVER AGAIN WILL I MAKE SUCH A MISTAKE.

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.