AN SMA LANDED OFF ARPT AFTER USING ALL OF ITS USABLE FUEL.

Narrative

PHASE CHK AND RE-ENDORSEMENT OF STUDENT PLT FOR SOLO. STUDENT HAS APPROX 45 HRS TOTAL TIME. AFTER 1/2 HR OF FLT; ACFT ENG FAILS WHILE IN THE PATTERN AT HOME ARPT. ACFT WAS LANDED ON ROAD SHORT OF INTENDED RWY. NO DAMAGE. ENG QUIT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS; OIL/FUEL OK. CARB HEAT CTL WAS OPERATED NORMALLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING INSTRUCTOR PLT STATES THAT HE SIMPLY RAN OUT OF USABLE FUEL! THE STUDENT PREFLTED THE ACFT AND RPTED SUFFICIENT FUEL. THE LOGBOOKS AND OPS RECORDS SUPPORTED THE NOTION THAT THERE WAS PLENTY OF FUEL. IT TURNS OUT THAT ANOTHER PLT DISCONNECTED THE RECORDING TACHOMETER AND FLEW OVER 2 HRS WHILE LOGGING ONLY 0.2 HRS. THE OTHER PLT CONFESSED TO THIS. THE POLICY OF THE FBO WAS TO FILL THE TANKS ONLY WHEN DEMANDED BY THE OUTGOING PLT INSTEAD OF AFTER EVERY FLT. THE RPTR HAS CONVINCED THE FBO TO CHANGE THIS POLICY TO FILLING THE TANKS AFTER EVERY FLT. THE RPTR HAS ALSO CHANGED HIS AFFILIATION WITH THE FBO AND IS NOW FLYING FOR ANOTHER FBO. THERE WAS NO INJURY OR DAMAGE; AND THE ACFT WAS TAXIED BACK TO THE ARPT WITH THE FUEL THAT WAS IN THE TANKS. THE RPTR FURTHER STATES THAT THE FBO HAS BEEN IN TROUBLE WITH THE FAA AND HAS HAD MANY AUDITS BY THE FAA. IT ALSO HAS HAD A FEW OFF FIELD LNDGS IN THE PAST. THE RPTR STATES THAT THE PLT THAT STOLE THE FLT TIME WAS GIVEN IMMUNITY BY THE FBO TO CONFESS TO THIS ACT OF DISCONNECTING THE TACHOMETER. THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO THE MISCREANT AS HE IS RPTED TO BE AN OFFICER IN THE MIL AND DIDN'T WANT THIS TO GET OUT; OR PRESUMABLY; TO GO TO JAIL AND HAVE HIS CERTIFICATE LISTED. IT IS PRESUMED THAT THE MISCREANT HAD DONE THIS SAME TACHOMETER DISCONNECT BEFORE.