AN SMA HELI RPTR PLT DEPARTED FOR DEST ARPT WITH INADEQUATE FUEL. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN; RPTR DISCOVERED THERE WAS ONLY ABOUT 5 MINS OF FUEL REMAINING.

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AFTER VISUALLY INSPECTING FUEL LEVEL AT SMO; I APPROXIMATED 20 GALLONS OF FUEL (1.5 HRS) AND DEPARTED FOR ANQ (APPROX 40 MINS). DURING CRUISE; I SUSPECTED FUEL WAS LOWER THAN EXPECTED. REFUELING SHOWED ONLY .6 GALLONS (APPROX 5 MINS) REMAINED AFTER SHUTDOWN. THE POSSIBLE CAUSES: A) FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER I FAILED TO VISUALLY CHK THE FUEL LEVEL AFTER AN EARLIER REFUELING. B) THE HELI IS CONSUMING MORE THAN THE PUBLISHED 13 GPH. MISTAKES I MADE: 1) 'A' MENTIONED ABOVE. 2) NOT MAKING A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. FUTURE ACTIONS TO TAKE: 1) DETERMINE THE ACTUAL FUEL BURN. 2) DON'T PASS UP REFUELING BEFORE DEPARTING AN ARPT. 3) INSTRUCT PAX TO BE PREPARED TO RESET THE STARTER CIRCUIT BREAKER (IT IS OPENED AFTER ENG START) IF DIRECTED TO DO SO. THIS WOULD ENABLE A POSSIBLE ENG RESTART. ALTHOUGH I FELL INTO AN OBVIOUS ERROR CHAIN; I DID DO SOME THINGS RIGHT. 1) REDUCED ENG PWR TO CONSERVE FUEL. 2) KEPT EMER LNDG ZONES WITHIN RANGE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. 3) AVOIDED TURNS WHICH MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THE FUEL THAT WAS REMAINING IN THE TANKS FROM BEING AVAILABLE AT THE TANK OUTLET.