Small aircraft pilot experiences fuel loss, makes emergency landing.

Attributes
ACN	154807
Time
Date	199008
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : idu
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1700 agl bound upper : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	154807
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At 1700' AGL the engine quit (a new engine, by the way), and we made an emergency landing in a cow pasture, took out the nose gear but not a scratch on us. Good ending to what was, or had been, a good flight. We checked the fuel on preflight and when the engine quit we were showing 3 hours remaining on our fuel gauges. We were running off both on the fuel tank selector. When we got out of the machine after coming to a stop in the pasture we noted, at once, that the right fuel tank cap was missing. We feel the fuel siphoned out of the tank, quickly and also that the fuel gauges did not reflect the loss of fuel. A very bad situation and the first time I have had this situation in 30 yrs of flying. Also, the chains connecting the caps to the inside of the fuel tanks were not connected and this was, or could have been, due to the fact the machine just returned to service since a new paint job (paint shop failed to resecure chains). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter added that after landing fuel gauges still showed full indications on both tanks. He turned master switch off and went to notify and get assistance. Turned master on again upon return and gauges then read empty. Manufacturer's placard indicates erroneous high readings if fuel caps not properply installed and correct. FAA waiting for wings to be put back on so that can check fuel gauges.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT EXPERIENCES FUEL LOSS, MAKES EMERGENCY LNDG.

Narrative: AT 1700' AGL THE ENG QUIT (A NEW ENG, BY THE WAY), AND WE MADE AN EMER LNDG IN A COW PASTURE, TOOK OUT THE NOSE GEAR BUT NOT A SCRATCH ON US. GOOD ENDING TO WHAT WAS, OR HAD BEEN, A GOOD FLT. WE CHKED THE FUEL ON PREFLT AND WHEN THE ENG QUIT WE WERE SHOWING 3 HRS REMAINING ON OUR FUEL GAUGES. WE WERE RUNNING OFF BOTH ON THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR. WHEN WE GOT OUT OF THE MACHINE AFTER COMING TO A STOP IN THE PASTURE WE NOTED, AT ONCE, THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CAP WAS MISSING. WE FEEL THE FUEL SIPHONED OUT OF THE TANK, QUICKLY AND ALSO THAT THE FUEL GAUGES DID NOT REFLECT THE LOSS OF FUEL. A VERY BAD SITUATION AND THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD THIS SITUATION IN 30 YRS OF FLYING. ALSO, THE CHAINS CONNECTING THE CAPS TO THE INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANKS WERE NOT CONNECTED AND THIS WAS, OR COULD HAVE BEEN, DUE TO THE FACT THE MACHINE JUST RETURNED TO SVC SINCE A NEW PAINT JOB (PAINT SHOP FAILED TO RESECURE CHAINS). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR ADDED THAT AFTER LNDG FUEL GAUGES STILL SHOWED FULL INDICATIONS ON BOTH TANKS. HE TURNED MASTER SWITCH OFF AND WENT TO NOTIFY AND GET ASSISTANCE. TURNED MASTER ON AGAIN UPON RETURN AND GAUGES THEN READ EMPTY. MANUFACTURER'S PLACARD INDICATES ERRONEOUS HIGH READINGS IF FUEL CAPS NOT PROPERPLY INSTALLED AND CORRECT. FAA WAITING FOR WINGS TO BE PUT BACK ON SO THAT CAN CHK FUEL GAUGES.

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.