Learning the Basics of Fuel Management

Running out of fuel is most often a result of human error and can result in an unscheduled off-airport landing.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 10:57 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

The No. 1 cause of fuel exhaustion, according to the NTSB, is human error. [Credit: iStock]

Key Takeaways:

Running out of fuel is a critical and preventable aviation safety issue, often leading to dangerous off-airport landings and severe consequences, as highlighted by a recent incident in Victoria, Texas.
The primary cause of fuel exhaustion is human error, including inaccurate fuel consumption calculations, unfamiliarity with aircraft systems, failure to visually confirm fuel quantity, and poor fuel management during flight.
Pilots must practice conservative and accurate fuel management by diligently using pilot's operating handbook (POH) charts and flight computers (E6-B), factoring in all flight phases (taxi, takeoff, approach), and maintaining required fuel reserves.
It is always acceptable to land early for fuel; prioritizing safety through proper fuel planning and management is paramount to prevent accidents.

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The only time you have too much fuel is when you are on fire. I tell all my clients this, but especially my student pilots, because running out of fuel is right up there with leaving the baby on the bus. It shouldn’t happen, but it does, and more often than not, it happens when you get behind the airplane.

Running out of fuel can result in an unscheduled off-airport landing. If you are lucky, no one gets hurt, there is very little property damage, and you can use the airplane again. Other times, the results are deadly, or at least more dramatic.