C177B pilot has a low fuel state en route to bde.

Attributes
ACN	704851
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bde.airport
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 595 flight time type : 345
ASRS Report	704851
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauge other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We departed osh with full fuel for 6 hour range. The no-wind ete was 3 hours 24 mins. We did not expect almost 1 hour of stop-and-go taxiing and waiting. We could not pick up our IFR clearance until reaching aig and had to refile our IFR flight plan from aig to bde instead of fld to bde. We had to deviation and spiral up to an opening to get above the cloud. There was about 20 KTS headwind which added 20% more in travel time. I noticed somewhat lower than expected fuel gauge reading about 1 hour to bde; but my copilot told me that we had flown only 3 hours and should have plenty of fuel. He had recorded the time incorrectly for eastern time instead of central. The fuel gauges were close to empty (approximately 1/8 left) when we were about 20 NM to baudette. We told the center of low fuel situation and asked for nearby airports. We were told that baudette was the nearest one. We landed safely and had the tanks filled up with 45 gallons. This meant we had 5 gallons left or about 40 mins of flight time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177B PLT HAS A LOW FUEL STATE ENRTE TO BDE.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED OSH WITH FULL FUEL FOR 6 HR RANGE. THE NO-WIND ETE WAS 3 HRS 24 MINS. WE DID NOT EXPECT ALMOST 1 HR OF STOP-AND-GO TAXIING AND WAITING. WE COULD NOT PICK UP OUR IFR CLRNC UNTIL REACHING AIG AND HAD TO REFILE OUR IFR FLT PLAN FROM AIG TO BDE INSTEAD OF FLD TO BDE. WE HAD TO DEV AND SPIRAL UP TO AN OPENING TO GET ABOVE THE CLOUD. THERE WAS ABOUT 20 KTS HEADWIND WHICH ADDED 20% MORE IN TRAVEL TIME. I NOTICED SOMEWHAT LOWER THAN EXPECTED FUEL GAUGE READING ABOUT 1 HR TO BDE; BUT MY COPLT TOLD ME THAT WE HAD FLOWN ONLY 3 HRS AND SHOULD HAVE PLENTY OF FUEL. HE HAD RECORDED THE TIME INCORRECTLY FOR EASTERN TIME INSTEAD OF CENTRAL. THE FUEL GAUGES WERE CLOSE TO EMPTY (APPROX 1/8 LEFT) WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 20 NM TO BAUDETTE. WE TOLD THE CTR OF LOW FUEL SITUATION AND ASKED FOR NEARBY ARPTS. WE WERE TOLD THAT BAUDETTE WAS THE NEAREST ONE. WE LANDED SAFELY AND HAD THE TANKS FILLED UP WITH 45 GALLONS. THIS MEANT WE HAD 5 GALLONS LEFT OR ABOUT 40 MINS OF FLT TIME.

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.