Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 3; Flight Crew Total 24000; Flight Crew Type 200
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown
Human Factors
Delivering a 182 for buyers inspection for a friend/student pilot. I followed him on the walk around & watched to help him get familiar w/the process. When he did the fuel visually he said the tanks were full. I did not check this. When I checked the gauge it did not show full but the owner's son said they were bad gauges. Uneventful flight till the confluence of [two] rivers; we ran out of gas. I made an off airport landing on a gravel bar. I was able to contact a friend to call ATC and let them know all's well and bring us fuel. There was no damage and after adding 20 gallons of gas we continued. I know now I should have checked the filler tops myself; I trusted that he could see fuel and he even showed fuel on his finger. I later see that this fuel system is quite different than my 185. Lesson learned.
A C182 pilot reported running out of fuel in flight resulting in a forced landing with no damage or injuries.