Small aircraft lost engine from fuel starvation and made forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	89267
Time
Date	198806
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cpr
State Reference	WY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mco
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1312 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	89267
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Before the final training flight of the day (#5) and after obtaining fuel on board information from the student, I calculated 1.5 hours fuel remaining (at 75% power) based on an experienced fuel burn of 7.5 gph. We proceeded with the lesson and began inbound at 0.8 hours hobbs time. At 0.9 hours we experienced fuel starvation, informed approach of our intentions and landed west/O further problems. By using information which I did not personally verify, I unknowingly invited the inevitable. Contributing factors: instrument pilot fatigue and complacency. Erroneous judgement: high density altitude helped me to rationalize that less fuel (weight) was desirable. However, not verifying fuel load was the ultimate cause. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the dipstick that the student used was improperly calibrated, it showed more fuel than was actually in the tank. The reporter set up to land on a hard-surfaced road. At the last minute, at about 100' AGL, he noticed power lines and made a right turn and landed on a 1200' long driveway, touching down on the last 300'. No damage. Aircraft was refueled and flown out the same day. No repercussions other than teasing from his peers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LOST ENGINE FROM FUEL STARVATION AND MADE FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: BEFORE THE FINAL TRNING FLT OF THE DAY (#5) AND AFTER OBTAINING FUEL ON BOARD INFO FROM THE STUDENT, I CALCULATED 1.5 HRS FUEL REMAINING (AT 75% PWR) BASED ON AN EXPERIENCED FUEL BURN OF 7.5 GPH. WE PROCEEDED WITH THE LESSON AND BEGAN INBND AT 0.8 HRS HOBBS TIME. AT 0.9 HRS WE EXPERIENCED FUEL STARVATION, INFORMED APCH OF OUR INTENTIONS AND LANDED W/O FURTHER PROBS. BY USING INFO WHICH I DID NOT PERSONALLY VERIFY, I UNKNOWINGLY INVITED THE INEVITABLE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: INSTR PLT FATIGUE AND COMPLACENCY. ERRONEOUS JUDGEMENT: HIGH DENSITY ALT HELPED ME TO RATIONALIZE THAT LESS FUEL (WT) WAS DESIRABLE. HOWEVER, NOT VERIFYING FUEL LOAD WAS THE ULTIMATE CAUSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE DIPSTICK THAT THE STUDENT USED WAS IMPROPERLY CALIBRATED, IT SHOWED MORE FUEL THAN WAS ACTUALLY IN THE TANK. THE REPORTER SET UP TO LAND ON A HARD-SURFACED ROAD. AT THE LAST MINUTE, AT ABOUT 100' AGL, HE NOTICED PWR LINES AND MADE A RIGHT TURN AND LANDED ON A 1200' LONG DRIVEWAY, TOUCHING DOWN ON THE LAST 300'. NO DAMAGE. ACFT WAS REFUELED AND FLOWN OUT THE SAME DAY. NO REPERCUSSIONS OTHER THAN TEASING FROM HIS PEERS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.