PA-38 Tomahawk
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 36; Flight Crew Total 111; Flight Crew Type 111
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
General None Reported / Taken
Weather; Human Factors
My flight lesson required a long distance Cross Country (250 NM from departure). I left with 24 gallons. I calculated a 3 hour flight with 4 hours of fuel. My calculations were off because I had to switch tanks after the engine stopped on the right tank 15 NM away from [destination airport]. After touchdown; during the taxi to the fuel pumps my engine stopped on the left tank. I didn't divert to a closer airport when the fuel gauges were low because the lesson required 250 NM without stopping from the point of departure. This was a dangerous learning lesson and I am thankful no one was hurt by this mistake; I'm safe; and the aircraft is not damaged. Diverting to a closer airport would have been the safest choice after seeing the gauges low. Also slower than estimated enroute checkpoint times should have contributed to a decision to stop and fuel.
The pilot of a PA-38 reported fuel exhaustion during taxi after a flight time longer than planned. The pilot was hesitant to land early with low fuel indication due to the need for a 250 NM flight leg.