Fuel Exhaustion During IFR Flight from Buffalo to South Bend (N738LM)

Flight Details and Fuel Consumption Estimates The pilot filed an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan from Buffalo, New York, to South Bend, Indiana. The pilot spent 20 minutes of ground-running time waiting for an IFR clearance. During the flight, the left fuel tank gauge was erratic, and the pilot ignored it. The in-flight time was 4 hours and 25 minutes before a total loss of power occurred. The pilot stated that the aircraft's fuel consumption was between 8.5 and 8.9 gallons per hour (GPH). At 8.5 GPH, the fuel burned during the 4-hour and 25-minute flight would have been 37.5 gallons, plus an additional 2 gallons used for the 20-minute ground time, for a total of 39.5 gallons used. At 8.9 GPH, the total would have been 41.3 gallons. ## Fuel Capacity and Post-Crash Findings The pilot's operating handbook shows usable fuel of 40 gallons, with 3 gallons unusable. The post-crash investigation revealed 1.5 gallons of fuel in the right tank and no fuel in the left tank.