Narrative:

The local training flight started with approximately 12 gals of fuel in each wing tank; 24 gals total. The flight started on the left side fuel tank and was not switched during the flight. The student did some local air work and then several trips around the traffic pattern. After a full stop landing; I took the controls for a takeoff on runway 6 to give the student a break. After rotation and at about 200 ft AGL; the engine lost all power. I lowered the nose to best glide and determined that there was insufficient runway for a safe landing and made a descending right turn to line up with runway 15. I landed the airplane safely on the runway and was able to stop within the remaining distance. The engine had actually restarted after lowering the nose; but I did not notice because I had already pulled the throttle to idle for the landing. I determined that the left fuel tank was very low and that the fuel pickup in the tank was probably uncovered when I rotated for takeoff. After the landing; I switched fuel tanks and taxied to the fuel pumps where the fueler put 23.6 gals of 100LL into the left tank. The poh for the warrior states 25 gals total with 24 gals usable per tank. The warrior checklist I use has 'fuel -- fullest tank' as one of the pre-landing items. The left tank had been in use for approximately 1.1 hours on the hobbs meter. Stated fuel usage from the poh is 10 gph; but because of the concentration of takeoffs; I suspect it was more. Factors affecting -- because the traffic pattern was particularly busy that day; I spent an unusual amount of time looking for other traffic; which distraction me from the checklist items.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 INSTRUCTOR REPORTS ENGINE FAILURE ON TKOF WITH QUICK TURN TO LAND SAFELY ON INTERSECTING RWY. LOW FUEL IS TO BLAME.

Narrative: THE LCL TRAINING FLT STARTED WITH APPROX 12 GALS OF FUEL IN EACH WING TANK; 24 GALS TOTAL. THE FLT STARTED ON THE L SIDE FUEL TANK AND WAS NOT SWITCHED DURING THE FLT. THE STUDENT DID SOME LCL AIR WORK AND THEN SEVERAL TRIPS AROUND THE TFC PATTERN. AFTER A FULL STOP LNDG; I TOOK THE CTLS FOR A TKOF ON RWY 6 TO GIVE THE STUDENT A BREAK. AFTER ROTATION AND AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL; THE ENG LOST ALL PWR. I LOWERED THE NOSE TO BEST GLIDE AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RWY FOR A SAFE LNDG AND MADE A DSNDING R TURN TO LINE UP WITH RWY 15. I LANDED THE AIRPLANE SAFELY ON THE RWY AND WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHIN THE REMAINING DISTANCE. THE ENG HAD ACTUALLY RESTARTED AFTER LOWERING THE NOSE; BUT I DID NOT NOTICE BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY PULLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE FOR THE LNDG. I DETERMINED THAT THE L FUEL TANK WAS VERY LOW AND THAT THE FUEL PICKUP IN THE TANK WAS PROBABLY UNCOVERED WHEN I ROTATED FOR TKOF. AFTER THE LNDG; I SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND TAXIED TO THE FUEL PUMPS WHERE THE FUELER PUT 23.6 GALS OF 100LL INTO THE L TANK. THE POH FOR THE WARRIOR STATES 25 GALS TOTAL WITH 24 GALS USABLE PER TANK. THE WARRIOR CHKLIST I USE HAS 'FUEL -- FULLEST TANK' AS ONE OF THE PRE-LNDG ITEMS. THE L TANK HAD BEEN IN USE FOR APPROX 1.1 HRS ON THE HOBBS METER. STATED FUEL USAGE FROM THE POH IS 10 GPH; BUT BECAUSE OF THE CONCENTRATION OF TKOFS; I SUSPECT IT WAS MORE. FACTORS AFFECTING -- BECAUSE THE TFC PATTERN WAS PARTICULARLY BUSY THAT DAY; I SPENT AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF TIME LOOKING FOR OTHER TFC; WHICH DISTR ME FROM THE CHKLIST ITEMS.

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.