Narrative:

After lift off from hollister runway 31, and at about 250' AGL, the engine stopped on the small aircraft. I was instructing a presolo student in takeoffs and lndgs. I executed a 160 degree left turn and landing in a mowed field about 700' west of runway 31. No injuries or damage. Cause, right fuel tank was selected and ran day. Factors, fuel gauges at departure from monterey (homebase) was 5 gal left and 10 gal right tank. The student and owner fueled only at salinas airport, so we were planning to stop there at the end of the lesson for fuel. We were airborne for about one hour and had used only the right tank. At the time of stoppage, fuel gauge showed approximately 7 gals. I felt confident that it was reasonable from past experience with fuel gauge readings when refueling. I did not switch tanks because immediate concern was in executing a forced landing and did not think to do it. The next day the right fuel gauge showed 5 gals, but upon turning boost pump on and selecting right tank, it would not draw fuel. After pulling airplane to the ramp, fuel gauge showed empty. Refueling right tank took 16 gals (16 gal tank). Other factors, most of my 4500 CFI hours were in other small aircraft single engine trainers, where selecting tanks is not a normal procedure. My mind set did not instinctively include tank switching. Correction action. The owner has base airplane at salinas. Airplane will always start each flight with full tanks. Tank selector will be changed every 1/2 hour, to keep that aspect in mind. Emergency procedures will be reviewed every flight. Fuel burn rate history will be established for this airplane for various modes of operation. The instrument will never forget what caused this event and will often go over emergency procedures for whatever airplane he is flying. The instrument will benefit from this experience, but will never forgive him for poor procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF RIGHT FUEL TANK RAN DRY CAUSING A FORCED OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: AFTER LIFT OFF FROM HOLLISTER RWY 31, AND AT ABOUT 250' AGL, THE ENG STOPPED ON THE SMA. I WAS INSTRUCTING A PRESOLO STUDENT IN TKOFS AND LNDGS. I EXECUTED A 160 DEG L TURN AND LNDG IN A MOWED FIELD ABOUT 700' W OF RWY 31. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE. CAUSE, R FUEL TANK WAS SELECTED AND RAN DAY. FACTORS, FUEL GAUGES AT DEP FROM MONTEREY (HOMEBASE) WAS 5 GAL L AND 10 GAL R TANK. THE STUDENT AND OWNER FUELED ONLY AT SALINAS ARPT, SO WE WERE PLANNING TO STOP THERE AT THE END OF THE LESSON FOR FUEL. WE WERE AIRBORNE FOR ABOUT ONE HR AND HAD USED ONLY THE R TANK. AT THE TIME OF STOPPAGE, FUEL GAUGE SHOWED APPROX 7 GALS. I FELT CONFIDENT THAT IT WAS REASONABLE FROM PAST EXPERIENCE WITH FUEL GAUGE READINGS WHEN REFUELING. I DID NOT SWITCH TANKS BECAUSE IMMEDIATE CONCERN WAS IN EXECUTING A FORCED LNDG AND DID NOT THINK TO DO IT. THE NEXT DAY THE R FUEL GAUGE SHOWED 5 GALS, BUT UPON TURNING BOOST PUMP ON AND SELECTING R TANK, IT WOULD NOT DRAW FUEL. AFTER PULLING AIRPLANE TO THE RAMP, FUEL GAUGE SHOWED EMPTY. REFUELING R TANK TOOK 16 GALS (16 GAL TANK). OTHER FACTORS, MOST OF MY 4500 CFI HRS WERE IN OTHER SMA SINGLE ENG TRAINERS, WHERE SELECTING TANKS IS NOT A NORMAL PROC. MY MIND SET DID NOT INSTINCTIVELY INCLUDE TANK SWITCHING. CORRECTION ACTION. THE OWNER HAS BASE AIRPLANE AT SALINAS. AIRPLANE WILL ALWAYS START EACH FLT WITH FULL TANKS. TANK SELECTOR WILL BE CHANGED EVERY 1/2 HR, TO KEEP THAT ASPECT IN MIND. EMER PROCS WILL BE REVIEWED EVERY FLT. FUEL BURN RATE HISTORY WILL BE ESTABLISHED FOR THIS AIRPLANE FOR VARIOUS MODES OF OPERATION. THE INSTR WILL NEVER FORGET WHAT CAUSED THIS EVENT AND WILL OFTEN GO OVER EMER PROCS FOR WHATEVER AIRPLANE HE IS FLYING. THE INSTR WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS EXPERIENCE, BUT WILL NEVER FORGIVE HIM FOR POOR PROCS.

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.