A POLICE SMA HELI RAN OUT OF FUEL AND LANDED SAFETY ON AN ARPT.

Narrative

WHILE PERFORMING AERIAL SURVEY FOR SUSPECT VEHICLE WITHIN THE N EDGE OF CRG ATA AND IN CONTACT WITH CRG TWR; THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF THE IMPENDING ENG FAILURE TO COME. ENG INSTS WERE IN THE GREEN; MAIN FUEL TANK INDICATED BETTER THAN 100 LBS AND AUX TANK GAUGE SHOWED EMPTY. I COMPLETED MY SURVEY AND ADVISED CRG TWR I WAS INBOUND FOR LNDG. I INTENDED FOR THIS TO BE A FULL STOP SINCE I WAS ON THE EDGE OF MY VFR FUEL RESERVES AS INDICATED BY MY GAUGES INCLUDING MY FUEL FLOW METER INDICATING BETTER THAN 9 GALLONS REMAINING. I WAS CLRED FOR LNDG ADJACENT TO RWY 14 AND WHILE ON SHORT FINAL; AT APPROX 50 FT AGL; THE ENG COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. AT THIS TIME; I EXECUTED A SAFE AUTO ROTATION TO A RUNNING LNDG SUSTAINING NO DAMAGE OR INJURY. ENG FAILURE WAS TRACED TO FUEL EXHAUSTION OF THE MAIN TANK. FACTORS INVOLVED WERE FAULTY INDICATION OF FUEL TANK GAUGES AND NEVER ANY FUEL LOW WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR COMING ON. FURTHER CHKING REVEALED THE REMAINING 9 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE AUX TANK WHICH WAS NOT TRANSFERRED TO MAIN TANK DUE TO FAILURE OF FUEL TRANSFER PUMP. FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS CHKED AND FOUND TO HAVE A LOOSE SPRING CAUSING FAULTY INDICATIONS. CORRECTIVE ACTION: INSTALLED NEW FUEL SENDING UNIT AND NEW FUEL TRANSFER PUMP.