C172 pilot plans and flies 3 1/2 hour IFR flight with 5 hours fuel onboard. Flight takes 3 3/4 hours...

Narrative:

I departed for ZZZ. Ete was XA30 and I had 5 hours fuel. Most of the flight was in IFR conditions with strong headwinds which I anticipated in my 1 1/2 hour fuel reserve. Based upon estimated fuel burn; I thought I had sufficient fuel to complete the flight as filed. However; upon reaching ZZZ; my fuel gauges indicated close to empty. I was vectored and sequenced for the ILS approach to runway X. This was time and fuel consuming and I became worried that I might not have enough fuel to complete the ILS approach and landing. ZZZ was in VFR conditions and I could see the airport and runway. I notified approach of my minimal fuel status; that I might not be able to tolerate any significant delay and requested expedited handling with a visual approach. I was asked to estimate fuel remaining in mins which I did at 20 mins (by fuel gauges). I was cleared for landing on runway Y and then runway X. I landed without any further delay or incident. After landing; I was told to call TRACON; which I did. I spoke with a controller who was very upset and angry. He proceeded to scold and reprimand me at length. He told me (among other things) that: 1) I should have landed elsewhere earlier; 2) I jeopardized the lives of my family (on-board); 3) I disregarded the IFR 45 min reserve fuel requirement. 4) I inconvenienced many other aircraft. He threatened to sanction or violate me. I apologized repeatedly and told him that this was the first and only time this had ever happened to me. By the end of our conversation; he said he would not file any papers against me. After refueling; it turned out that I had 7 gallons fuel at the time of touchdown. I am; indeed; very sorry about this incident. However; in my defense I would like to point out: 1) it was not easy or risk free to land earlier because of WX. 2) when I passed the last candidate airport for earlier landing; my calculations and fuel gauges both suggested that I had sufficient fuel remaining to complete the flight to ZZZ safely. 3) I did not disregard or violate the IFR reserve fuel requirement. I started this flight with a fuel reserve of 1.5 hours and ended it with a reserve of 7 gallons (at least 45 mins). 4) the fuel gauges indications were very worrisome. I think I did the right thing by asking ATC for help. However; judging by the verbal beating that I sustained afterward; it would appear that ATC would prefer a crash rather than a call for help.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PILOT PLANS AND FLIES 3 1/2 HOUR IFR FLIGHT WITH 5 HOURS FUEL ONBOARD. FLIGHT TAKES 3 3/4 HOURS AND REPORTER DECLARES LOW FUEL APPROACHING DESTINATION DUE TO FUEL GAUGE READINGS. REPORTER IS BERATED OVER THE PHONE BY CONTROLLER AFTER LANDING.

Narrative: I DEPARTED FOR ZZZ. ETE WAS XA30 AND I HAD 5 HRS FUEL. MOST OF THE FLT WAS IN IFR CONDITIONS WITH STRONG HEADWINDS WHICH I ANTICIPATED IN MY 1 1/2 HR FUEL RESERVE. BASED UPON ESTIMATED FUEL BURN; I THOUGHT I HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLT AS FILED. HOWEVER; UPON REACHING ZZZ; MY FUEL GAUGES INDICATED CLOSE TO EMPTY. I WAS VECTORED AND SEQUENCED FOR THE ILS APCH TO RWY X. THIS WAS TIME AND FUEL CONSUMING AND I BECAME WORRIED THAT I MIGHT NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO COMPLETE THE ILS APCH AND LNDG. ZZZ WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS AND I COULD SEE THE ARPT AND RWY. I NOTIFIED APCH OF MY MINIMAL FUEL STATUS; THAT I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO TOLERATE ANY SIGNIFICANT DELAY AND REQUESTED EXPEDITED HANDLING WITH A VISUAL APCH. I WAS ASKED TO ESTIMATE FUEL REMAINING IN MINS WHICH I DID AT 20 MINS (BY FUEL GAUGES). I WAS CLRED FOR LNDG ON RWY Y AND THEN RWY X. I LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY OR INCIDENT. AFTER LNDG; I WAS TOLD TO CALL TRACON; WHICH I DID. I SPOKE WITH A CTLR WHO WAS VERY UPSET AND ANGRY. HE PROCEEDED TO SCOLD AND REPRIMAND ME AT LENGTH. HE TOLD ME (AMONG OTHER THINGS) THAT: 1) I SHOULD HAVE LANDED ELSEWHERE EARLIER; 2) I JEOPARDIZED THE LIVES OF MY FAMILY (ON-BOARD); 3) I DISREGARDED THE IFR 45 MIN RESERVE FUEL REQUIREMENT. 4) I INCONVENIENCED MANY OTHER ACFT. HE THREATENED TO SANCTION OR VIOLATE ME. I APOLOGIZED REPEATEDLY AND TOLD HIM THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME THIS HAD EVER HAPPENED TO ME. BY THE END OF OUR CONVERSATION; HE SAID HE WOULD NOT FILE ANY PAPERS AGAINST ME. AFTER REFUELING; IT TURNED OUT THAT I HAD 7 GALLONS FUEL AT THE TIME OF TOUCHDOWN. I AM; INDEED; VERY SORRY ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. HOWEVER; IN MY DEFENSE I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT: 1) IT WAS NOT EASY OR RISK FREE TO LAND EARLIER BECAUSE OF WX. 2) WHEN I PASSED THE LAST CANDIDATE ARPT FOR EARLIER LNDG; MY CALCULATIONS AND FUEL GAUGES BOTH SUGGESTED THAT I HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL REMAINING TO COMPLETE THE FLT TO ZZZ SAFELY. 3) I DID NOT DISREGARD OR VIOLATE THE IFR RESERVE FUEL REQUIREMENT. I STARTED THIS FLT WITH A FUEL RESERVE OF 1.5 HRS AND ENDED IT WITH A RESERVE OF 7 GALLONS (AT LEAST 45 MINS). 4) THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATIONS WERE VERY WORRISOME. I THINK I DID THE RIGHT THING BY ASKING ATC FOR HELP. HOWEVER; JUDGING BY THE VERBAL BEATING THAT I SUSTAINED AFTERWARD; IT WOULD APPEAR THAT ATC WOULD PREFER A CRASH RATHER THAN A CALL FOR HELP.

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.

Attributes
ACN	813416
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 13 flight time total : 849 flight time type : 738
ASRS Report	813416
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel guage other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

C172 pilot plans and flies 3 1/2 hour IFR flight with 5 hours fuel onboard. Flight takes 3 3/4 hours and reporter declares low fuel approaching destination due to fuel gauge readings. Reporter is berated over the phone by controller after landing.