Small aircraft runs out of fuel, lands at abandoned airport which, unknown to reporter, has a plowed...

Attributes
ACN	149694
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aeg
State Reference	NM
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 200 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	149694
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight from vgt to saf. I fueled up the small aircraft full and visually checked the tanks. Although there were 60 gals of gas in the aircraft, the fuel indicators read 5 and 15 gals when full. About 3 hours into the flight, I lost electrical power to the radios and probably to everything. My fuel indicators read empty, probably due to electrical failure. I had flown another 30 mins or so when the engine sputtered. I switched to the left tank and the engine resumed. Since I had used both tanks about equally, I immediately diverted toward abq. I could not understand how the small aircraft, which normally uses 6.6-10 gph, could use so much gas so quickly. Just into the outskirts of abq the engine quit. I landed at the abandoned bar 7 airport. Unknown to me, the customs service had placed a 3' tall direct ridge across the center of the 200' strip. My aircraft hit this ridge, bounced 30' into the air and collapsed the landing gear with damage to fuselage bottom. No one was injured. Recommendation: 1) mark the abandoned bar 7 airfield with 'X's.' 2) issue general NOTAM for southwest states that abandoned airfields have obstructions placed by customs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA RUNS OUT OF FUEL, LANDS AT ABANDONED ARPT WHICH, UNKNOWN TO REPORTER, HAS A PLOWED RIDGE (COURTESY OF U.S. CUSTOMS) AT MIDFIELD. ACFT DAMAGE RESULTS.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT FROM VGT TO SAF. I FUELED UP THE SMA FULL AND VISUALLY CHKED THE TANKS. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE 60 GALS OF GAS IN THE ACFT, THE FUEL INDICATORS READ 5 AND 15 GALS WHEN FULL. ABOUT 3 HRS INTO THE FLT, I LOST ELECTRICAL PWR TO THE RADIOS AND PROBABLY TO EVERYTHING. MY FUEL INDICATORS READ EMPTY, PROBABLY DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I HAD FLOWN ANOTHER 30 MINS OR SO WHEN THE ENG SPUTTERED. I SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK AND THE ENG RESUMED. SINCE I HAD USED BOTH TANKS ABOUT EQUALLY, I IMMEDIATELY DIVERTED TOWARD ABQ. I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE SMA, WHICH NORMALLY USES 6.6-10 GPH, COULD USE SO MUCH GAS SO QUICKLY. JUST INTO THE OUTSKIRTS OF ABQ THE ENG QUIT. I LANDED AT THE ABANDONED BAR 7 ARPT. UNKNOWN TO ME, THE CUSTOMS SVC HAD PLACED A 3' TALL DIRECT RIDGE ACROSS THE CENTER OF THE 200' STRIP. MY ACFT HIT THIS RIDGE, BOUNCED 30' INTO THE AIR AND COLLAPSED THE LNDG GEAR WITH DAMAGE TO FUSELAGE BOTTOM. NO ONE WAS INJURED. RECOMMENDATION: 1) MARK THE ABANDONED BAR 7 AIRFIELD WITH 'X'S.' 2) ISSUE GENERAL NOTAM FOR SW STATES THAT ABANDONED AIRFIELDS HAVE OBSTRUCTIONS PLACED BY CUSTOMS.

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.

Small aircraft runs out of fuel, lands at abandoned airport which, unknown to reporter, has a plowed ridge (courtesy of us customs) at midfield. Aircraft damage results.