Narrative:

Training flight with primary student (pre-solo approximately 25 hours). Did airwork in local practice area then proceeded to nearby airport for some lndgs; winds were 220 degrees at 15 KTS gusting 25 KTS. Left after 3 takeoffs and lndgs for return to ZZZ. Called about 8 mi out and was told to report final for runway 16 (winds 21 degrees at 15 KTS gusting 25 KTS). About 2 mi out the engine started to cut in and out. Had student in left seat switch tanks; call ATC and said that we had a problem while completing the rest of the emergency restart. Engine smoothed out about 5-10 seconds after switching tanks and the landing was uneventful. ATC ask what the problem was and I told them that I thought we had run 1 tank dry (we flew 1.2 hours). How the problem arose: all our aircraft are topped off by line service every night. This aircraft had been used late and did not get refueled. I have a habit of not switching tanks after a local flight if they were full when we departed. I let my student do the preflight inspection unattended and did not visually check the fuel level myself. When I asked him how much fuel we had on board he said we had half tanks in both wings. I did check after we landed and the left tank had about 12-14 gals left. It is my responsibility to assure the fuel level visually and I do most of the time. Contributing factors: 1) this aircraft had had a problem the previous day. It had stalled on a taxiway after landing and I was told to watch for a problem. 2) we were in moderate turbulence. Corrective actions: 1) use the checklist; use the checklist; use the checklist! Do the items covered each and every time for each and every phase of flight. 2) visually check fuel levels. 3) stay with the student during preflight inspection. 4) practice what I preach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 EXPERIENCED FUEL STARVATION ON FINAL APCH. THE OTHER FUEL TANK WAS SELECTED AND THE ENG RECOVERED.

Narrative: TRAINING FLT WITH PRIMARY STUDENT (PRE-SOLO APPROX 25 HRS). DID AIRWORK IN LCL PRACTICE AREA THEN PROCEEDED TO NEARBY ARPT FOR SOME LNDGS; WINDS WERE 220 DEGS AT 15 KTS GUSTING 25 KTS. LEFT AFTER 3 TKOFS AND LNDGS FOR RETURN TO ZZZ. CALLED ABOUT 8 MI OUT AND WAS TOLD TO RPT FINAL FOR RWY 16 (WINDS 21 DEGS AT 15 KTS GUSTING 25 KTS). ABOUT 2 MI OUT THE ENG STARTED TO CUT IN AND OUT. HAD STUDENT IN L SEAT SWITCH TANKS; CALL ATC AND SAID THAT WE HAD A PROB WHILE COMPLETING THE REST OF THE EMER RESTART. ENG SMOOTHED OUT ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS AFTER SWITCHING TANKS AND THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. ATC ASK WHAT THE PROB WAS AND I TOLD THEM THAT I THOUGHT WE HAD RUN 1 TANK DRY (WE FLEW 1.2 HRS). HOW THE PROB AROSE: ALL OUR ACFT ARE TOPPED OFF BY LINE SVC EVERY NIGHT. THIS ACFT HAD BEEN USED LATE AND DID NOT GET REFUELED. I HAVE A HABIT OF NOT SWITCHING TANKS AFTER A LCL FLT IF THEY WERE FULL WHEN WE DEPARTED. I LET MY STUDENT DO THE PREFLT INSPECTION UNATTENDED AND DID NOT VISUALLY CHK THE FUEL LEVEL MYSELF. WHEN I ASKED HIM HOW MUCH FUEL WE HAD ON BOARD HE SAID WE HAD HALF TANKS IN BOTH WINGS. I DID CHK AFTER WE LANDED AND THE L TANK HAD ABOUT 12-14 GALS LEFT. IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ASSURE THE FUEL LEVEL VISUALLY AND I DO MOST OF THE TIME. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) THIS ACFT HAD HAD A PROB THE PREVIOUS DAY. IT HAD STALLED ON A TXWY AFTER LNDG AND I WAS TOLD TO WATCH FOR A PROB. 2) WE WERE IN MODERATE TURB. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: 1) USE THE CHKLIST; USE THE CHKLIST; USE THE CHKLIST! DO THE ITEMS COVERED EACH AND EVERY TIME FOR EACH AND EVERY PHASE OF FLT. 2) VISUALLY CHK FUEL LEVELS. 3) STAY WITH THE STUDENT DURING PREFLT INSPECTION. 4) PRACTICE WHAT I PREACH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.