For decades prior to the advent of electronic instrumentation, flight instructors regularly taught pilots not to trust fuel gauges lest a failure leave them unknowingly running on empty. Despite more accurate measurement systems, fuel mismanagement still ranks number six on the NTSB’s list of GA accident categories, accounting for roughly 50 accidents each year, some with fatalities.
NTSB’s ‘Flying on Empty’ Focuses on Pilot Fuel Management
Key Takeaways:
- Fuel mismanagement is the #6 GA accident category, causing around 50 accidents annually, with 95% attributed to human error rather than equipment failure.
- A significant portion (66%) of these accidents occur when pilots change their destination mid-flight, covering both fuel exhaustion (tanks dry) and fuel starvation (engine quits with usable fuel).
- The NTSB advises pilots to visually confirm fuel quantity, calculate flight time based on burn rate, and maintain a conservative fuel reserve, rather than solely relying on fuel gauges.
- Interestingly, experienced pilots (private, sport, commercial, ATP) account for the vast majority of these mishaps, not student pilots, and 80% occur during daylight hours.
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