C421 pilot reports right engine fuel starvation during approach.

Attributes
ACN	728618
Time
Date	200702
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	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Golden Eagle 421
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	728618
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

This was a 3.2 hour flight. Full fuel on board; equals 196 gallons usable. On approach to land (ILS; gear down) right engine sputtered as in fuel starvation. We followed emergency checklist and when no power was achieved on right engine with mixtures rich; propellers forward; full throttles; I took over the controls from pilot (who was under hood practicing approach) and feathered right engine. Left engine ran ok; but we elected to declare emergency and land at closer airport 2 mi away (ZZZ). Upon landing; we realized the right main tank had little fuel; and fuel starvation likely. We were using mains on approach but we had extra fuel in auxiliary tanks. Could have switched to right auxiliary; but did not due to checklist; which says land on main tank and feather if on approach to land. We had 4.35 hours fuel at normal endurance. The lesson here: engines use lots of fuel at FL180-FL250 at high RPM to keep cabin pressurized. Plus; 20 gallons on fuel gauges may not equal 20 gallons in tanks!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C421 PILOT REPORTS RIGHT ENGINE FUEL STARVATION DURING APPROACH.

Narrative: THIS WAS A 3.2 HR FLT. FULL FUEL ON BOARD; EQUALS 196 GALLONS USABLE. ON APCH TO LAND (ILS; GEAR DOWN) R ENG SPUTTERED AS IN FUEL STARVATION. WE FOLLOWED EMER CHKLIST AND WHEN NO PWR WAS ACHIEVED ON R ENG WITH MIXTURES RICH; PROPS FORWARD; FULL THROTTLES; I TOOK OVER THE CTLS FROM PLT (WHO WAS UNDER HOOD PRACTICING APCH) AND FEATHERED R ENG. L ENG RAN OK; BUT WE ELECTED TO DECLARE EMER AND LAND AT CLOSER ARPT 2 MI AWAY (ZZZ). UPON LNDG; WE REALIZED THE R MAIN TANK HAD LITTLE FUEL; AND FUEL STARVATION LIKELY. WE WERE USING MAINS ON APCH BUT WE HAD EXTRA FUEL IN AUX TANKS. COULD HAVE SWITCHED TO R AUX; BUT DID NOT DUE TO CHKLIST; WHICH SAYS LAND ON MAIN TANK AND FEATHER IF ON APCH TO LAND. WE HAD 4.35 HRS FUEL AT NORMAL ENDURANCE. THE LESSON HERE: ENGS USE LOTS OF FUEL AT FL180-FL250 AT HIGH RPM TO KEEP CABIN PRESSURIZED. PLUS; 20 GALLONS ON FUEL GAUGES MAY NOT EQUAL 20 GALLONS IN TANKS!

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.