Small aircraft makes forced landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	121734
Time
Date	199009
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hky
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 32 flight time total : 3300
ASRS Report	121734
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft left ft lauderdale, fl with full fuel both tanks (60 gals). Departed on left fuel tank. Burned for 1 hour and switched to right tank, which burned for 2 hours, 15 mins. Switched back to left tank for what should have been another 1 hour, 30 mins. Engine quit for lack of fuel in approximately 18 mins. Switched back to right tank and engine ran normally for 10 mins. Engine again quit from lack of fuel. Switched back to left tank but engine never picked up. Made landing on country road with no cars on road. Aircraft rolled approximately 300', striking a mailbox with right wing. This lifted wing and put aircraft on left main wheel and nose wheel. Aircraft kept rolling and I was able to make about a 20 degree turn to the right, staying on the road. The right wing tip struck several fence posts at approximately 20 mph. This turned the plane to the right, and it ended up in a ditch with the left wing driven into fence post. No injury occurred in this incident. I believed this was caused by a faulty fuel bladder in the left wing or by a fuel leak in flight. Also after checking with an a & P mechanic it could have been caused by a restr fuel vent on the left wing. Aircraft burns 11.5 gph with 56 usable gals, giving total time in flight 4 hours, 40 mins. Total time in flight was 3 hours, 54 mins. This trip was made many times before in 3 hours, 45 mins on 40 gals of fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA MAKES FORCED LNDG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: ACFT LEFT FT LAUDERDALE, FL WITH FULL FUEL BOTH TANKS (60 GALS). DEPARTED ON LEFT FUEL TANK. BURNED FOR 1 HR AND SWITCHED TO RIGHT TANK, WHICH BURNED FOR 2 HRS, 15 MINS. SWITCHED BACK TO LEFT TANK FOR WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER 1 HR, 30 MINS. ENG QUIT FOR LACK OF FUEL IN APPROX 18 MINS. SWITCHED BACK TO RIGHT TANK AND ENG RAN NORMALLY FOR 10 MINS. ENG AGAIN QUIT FROM LACK OF FUEL. SWITCHED BACK TO LEFT TANK BUT ENG NEVER PICKED UP. MADE LNDG ON COUNTRY ROAD WITH NO CARS ON ROAD. ACFT ROLLED APPROX 300', STRIKING A MAILBOX WITH RIGHT WING. THIS LIFTED WING AND PUT ACFT ON LEFT MAIN WHEEL AND NOSE WHEEL. ACFT KEPT ROLLING AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE ABOUT A 20 DEG TURN TO THE RIGHT, STAYING ON THE ROAD. THE RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK SEVERAL FENCE POSTS AT APPROX 20 MPH. THIS TURNED THE PLANE TO THE RIGHT, AND IT ENDED UP IN A DITCH WITH THE LEFT WING DRIVEN INTO FENCE POST. NO INJURY OCCURRED IN THIS INCIDENT. I BELIEVED THIS WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY FUEL BLADDER IN THE LEFT WING OR BY A FUEL LEAK IN FLT. ALSO AFTER CHKING WITH AN A & P MECH IT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A RESTR FUEL VENT ON THE LEFT WING. ACFT BURNS 11.5 GPH WITH 56 USABLE GALS, GIVING TOTAL TIME IN FLT 4 HRS, 40 MINS. TOTAL TIME IN FLT WAS 3 HRS, 54 MINS. THIS TRIP WAS MADE MANY TIMES BEFORE IN 3 HRS, 45 MINS ON 40 GALS OF FUEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.