Originally Posted by
malc4d
BPF
Yes working, but not accurate ....anyway not under FAA rules, There they only have to be accurate when empty ....Now thats really safety in action.
It is simple, when the fuel gauges are indicating close to zero you are almost out of fuel and you had better do something about it NOW.
Story 1
I have personal knowledge of one accident where the persons instructor had always said, "the fuel gauges are useless just ignore them". He left with one hour out of full tanks ( C 172 40 Gal) on a cross country with a PLOG that said he would land with 45 mins reserve.
Inadequate leaning and shagged out engine made for higher than normal fuel consumption and so when he got to his destination the gauges were showing close to E, but hey the gauges are useless so no worries and so when the tower asks him to hold for 10 mins at a VRP he says sure. On final it gets very quiet and he totals the aircraft landing short of the runway.
The good news is there was no chance of fire as the tanks were bone dry
Story 2
Instructing in a Cessna 150 with standard 22 gal tanks. Left with 1/2 tanks (dipped) gauges show half tanks. 30 mins into the flight gauges show a less than 1/4 so I think "That ain't right" and we head home. When we land the gauges show under 1/8 th, and the belly of the airplane is blue. It turns out the gascolator gasket had failed and we had a pretty good fuel leak happening. By believing the gauge I saved us from a certain off airport forced approach.