Fuel starvation accidents don’t always happen because someone “forgot” to fuel the airplane. Sometimes they happen because pilots slowly convince themselves they can stretch the limits just a little farther.

In this video, I break down a real-world example that shows how sneaky minimum fuel reserve decisions can become — and how quickly “I should still be okay” can turn into a serious situation.

Whether you’re a student pilot, private pilot, or just curious about aviation safety, this is an important reminder that fuel planning is about margins, not optimism. Fly safe. Leave yourself options.