What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The pilot reported that he based his fuel calculations on the typical fuel burn of 4.5 gallons per hour. On the first leg of the flight, his calculations were accurate. He reported that on the second leg of flight, the engine quit running as a result of fuel exhaustion, less than a mile from his destination. Subsequently, the airplane was damaged during an off-airport landing. The engine was tested for fuel consumption, and in one test, it had an abnormally high fuel rate of 6.51 gallons per hour. The test also revealed fuel leaking at the pto carburetor float bowl vent. After cleaning and inspecting the needle and seat, no further abnormal fuel consumption was noted. The pilot reported that he had not tested or calibrated his fuel indicator and did not know how much fuel remained in the tank by visually checking the fuel indicator. He had decided against refueling en route based on his average fuel burn calculations.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE BASED HIS FUEL CALCULATIONS ON THE TYPICAL FUEL BURN OF 4.5 GALLONS PER HOUR. ON THE FIRST LEG OF THE FLIGHT, HIS CALCULATIONS WERE ACCURATE. HE REPORTED THAT ON THE SECOND LEG OF FLIGHT, THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING AS A RESULT OF FUEL EXHAUSTION, LESS THAN A MILE FROM HIS DESTINATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED DURING AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. THE ENGINE WAS TESTED FOR FUEL CONSUMPTION, AND IN ONE TEST, IT HAD AN ABNORMALLY HIGH FUEL RATE OF 6.51 GALLONS PER HOUR. THE TEST ALSO REVEALED FUEL LEAKING AT THE PTO CARBURETOR FLOAT BOWL VENT. AFTER CLEANING AND INSPECTING THE NEEDLE AND SEAT, NO FURTHER ABNORMAL FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS NOTED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT TESTED OR CALIBRATED HIS FUEL INDICATOR AND DID NOT KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL REMAINED IN THE TANK BY VISUALLY CHECKING THE FUEL INDICATOR. HE HAD DECIDED AGAINST REFUELING EN ROUTE BASED ON HIS AVERAGE FUEL BURN CALCULATIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.