Australian Aviation Occurrences Involving Fuel Starvation and Exhaustion 1969 - 1986

This study analysed occurrences involving:

• fuel starvation - the state in which the fuel supply to the engine is interrupted although there is adequate fuel onboard the aircraft, and
• fuel exhaustion - the state in which the aircraft has become devoid of usable fuel.

Fuel starvation has been a more common type of occurrence; however, the probability of the occurrence resulting in an accident has been greater for fuel exhaustion. starvation accidents and 8 fuel exhaustion accidents per annum in Australia since 1969. Fuel-related engine failures have constituted 34% of all engine failure accidents.