When Aircraft Fuel Runs Out

With the engine still running and sputtering, we were getting closer to the airport. With about 10.5 hours of dual under my belt, I was not frightened for some reason, assuming we would disembark and swim if it came to ditching.

Editorial Staff

Thursday, February 18, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

During a training flight, an instructor's quick visual fuel check and decision of "enough" led to an engine sputtering emergency over water due to critically low fuel.
The instructor's unusual commands during the flight, such as maintaining full throttle at a low altitude, likely exacerbated the fuel consumption, culminating in an emergency declaration and landing.
After landing, it was revealed that the aircraft required 25.4 gallons of fuel, nearly its entire usable capacity of 24.5 gallons, confirming the severe fuel shortage.
The key takeaway for the student was the critical safety lesson to always verify and top off fuel tanks if the quantity is uncertain or not visibly full, especially without precise measuring tools.

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For my 11th training flight, I arrived ready but my instructor was talking with someone. He told me to preflight the Cessna 152, and he would be right out. I completed the preflight and hopped aboard, strapping myself into the left seat. A few minutes later, my instructor got in, asking if I had any questions.

“Just one,” I said. “I can see fuel in both tanks, but I don’t know how much is there.” He reached past me to turn on the master switch and the gauges both settled on about tank. He said, “We’ve got enough, let’s go.”