FUEL EXHAUSTION means there is no fuel on the aircraft. FUEL STARVATION means there is fuel but it’s not getting to the engine. A starvation accident with a Cessna 210 comes to mind. When flying 172s and 182s, we leave the fuel selector on Both and never give it another thought. But when you then jump in a 210 with only a left or right detent, it’s easy to do what this pilot did and simply run a tank dry. A great way to manage fuel when only drawing from one tank at a time is to switch tanks 30 minutes after takeoff then every 60 minutes. This keeps a reasonable 30-minute fuel imbalance. But we must be aware and consciously plan to turn the selector on time. The Garmin 430 had a “Check Fuel” message every 30 minutes but was not activated on the accident aircraft. Use any kind of reminder alarm to help remind you to actively manage your go juice.
Another quick simple memory item done immediately after an engine failure that would have saved that 210 is CARB HEAT HOT – MIXTURE RICH – FUEL SELECTOR BOTH (or switch tanks if L-R selector). This simple act would have caused the engine to restart on the 210 when the fuel selector was switched. Carb heat is pulled if installed in your aircraft.
An aviation adage is that if something bad happens very shortly after you touched something, go back to that thing. Through the ages, pilots have mistakenly switched to an empty tank leading to a failed engine. Undo that last move and the engine would likely start up again.
Fuel exhaustion can happen for numerous reasons. Poor flight planning, leaving with less fuel than you could have taken, unforecast bad weather, getting pressured into a fuel critical condition, and not allowing enough fuel for unplanned contingencies. If there’s a 4-degree temp/dewpoint spread at your destination with a “Clear and a Million” forecast as you happily fly into the evening, plan for and don’t be surprised if dense ground fog develops when the sun sets.
Happy Flying! (With lots of gas!!!)