Fueling Blunders Quite Common in Safety Reporting System

IFR Magazine combed through ASRS reports and found that trend to be surprisingly prevalent.

Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

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Fueling the aircraft yourself with self-service pumps is a way to avoid fueling errors and maybe even save some bucks over full-service fueling. [Credit: FLYING Magazine Archive]

Key Takeaways:

Inaccurate fuel planning, often due to underestimating headwinds or miscalculating usable fuel, is a primary cause of in-flight fuel exhaustion.
Fueling errors, including incorrect amounts, wrong fuel types, or tanks not being filled, frequently arise from distractions or lack of pilot supervision and visual verification.
Mechanical issues like alternator failures disabling fuel pumps, fuel leaks, and unreliable fuel gauges contribute significantly to fuel-related emergencies, emphasizing the need for constant system monitoring.
Pilots must exercise conservative judgment, continuously practice emergency procedures, and be prepared to assert Pilot-in-Command authority to ensure safe outcomes during fuel-critical situations.

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Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) reports show many ways to get something simple wrong. Here you’ll see how creative errors can sneak in and deprive pilots of the fuel that keeps us airborne.

Flight Planning

A pilot encountered 32-35 knot headwinds at cruise. At 2.5 hours airborne, they decided to land for fuel because only 8 gallons remained. Fifteen minutes later, the engine failed. He landed safely on a county road and found the tanks were dry.