Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 1980; Flight Crew Type 1900
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Human Factors
On an Aerial Survey mission; at 7;500 MSL (7;400 AGL) the aircraft got low on fuel. My calculations estimated :45 fuel remaining. I had selected one tank so as to assure extra fuel remaining in the other tank. While over the field; the selected tank ran dry.  I then selected 'both' and began an immediate approach. During an extended slip from 7;500 to touchdown; 80 foot field elevation; the engine never restarted. The airplane came to a stop at the exit taxiway.  We pushed it to the fuel island.The field was only 2nm and glide range was at least 12nm.I made the following errors:- I should have landed for fuel when my calculations showed 1hr remaining.- When selecting the 'good tank'; I put the selector on 'both' rather than the single tank.- I should have ensured the forward slip was in the direction of keeping the tank with fuel on the high side; so as to not 'un-port' the tank.Refueling showed that there was only :15 of fuel in the tank.
During an aerial survey flight the pilot of a C-172 miscalculated the fuel remaining. The engine shut down and the pilot landed the aircraft at the destination airport.