Narrative:

Aircraft was being flown under part 91 on a special airworthiness certificate for experimental (amateur-built) aircraft. The purpose of the flight was to conduct flight testing phase I flight limitations issued for this aircraft. Two miles short of the intended landing field (the airfield specified as home base in the aircraft's phase I operating limitations) the engine stopped due to fuel starvation. I landed uneventfully in a field. There was no damage to the aircraft or to property on the ground. I refueled and; with the permission of the farmer who owns the field; took off to return to base. At the time of the flight; the aircraft had flown fewer than five of the phase I flight hours. As the aircraft had experienced cylinder-head cooling issues; most flight time to date had focused on getting the cht's within limits. This flight was meant to test a new; enlarged cooling baffle that had been installed for that purpose. Because of the need to address the cooling issues; I had not yet had time to perform the planned test flights to verify expected fuel flow; nor to cross-check expected fuel-quantity indications (as shown on the ground with the aircraft in flight attitude) with the actual indications airborne. As a result; actual fuel quantity was less than expected. When I realized that; about twenty miles from base; I immediately began my return to home field; the fuel supply ran out just outside of glide range. Per my test plan; developed with the assistance of AC 90-89A; test flights to determine actual fuel flow and to crosscheck airborne fuel-quantity indications are planned. The data derived will provide planning data that will prevent a recurrence of this incident.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Experimental aircraft pilot experiences fuel exhaustion while attempting to return to base during a Phase 1 test flight. An emergency landing in a farmers field ensues without damage to the aircraft.

Narrative: Aircraft was being flown under Part 91 on a special airworthiness certificate for Experimental (amateur-built) aircraft. The purpose of the flight was to conduct flight testing Phase I flight limitations issued for this aircraft. Two miles short of the intended landing field (the airfield specified as home base in the aircraft's Phase I operating limitations) the engine stopped due to fuel starvation. I landed uneventfully in a field. There was no damage to the aircraft or to property on the ground. I refueled and; with the permission of the farmer who owns the field; took off to return to base. At the time of the flight; the aircraft had flown fewer than five of the Phase I flight hours. As the aircraft had experienced cylinder-head cooling issues; most flight time to date had focused on getting the CHT's within limits. This flight was meant to test a new; enlarged cooling baffle that had been installed for that purpose. Because of the need to address the cooling issues; I had not yet had time to perform the planned test flights to verify expected fuel flow; nor to cross-check expected fuel-quantity indications (as shown on the ground with the aircraft in flight attitude) with the actual indications airborne. As a result; actual fuel quantity was less than expected. When I realized that; about twenty miles from base; I immediately began my return to home field; the fuel supply ran out just outside of glide range. Per my test plan; developed with the assistance of AC 90-89A; test flights to determine actual fuel flow and to crosscheck airborne fuel-quantity indications are planned. The data derived will provide planning data that will prevent a recurrence of this incident.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.