GA small aircraft fuel exhaustion off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	159775
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : m89
State Reference	AR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise other landing other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 92 flight time type : 53
ASRS Report	159775
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I took off from carlisle, ar in an small aircraft with just over 1/2 fuel in the left tank and just under 1/2 fuel in the right tank. I landed in malvern, ar with 3/8 fuel in the left tank and 0 fuel in the right tank. I called FBO in arkadelphia, ar. A flight instrument said the fuel should feed from the left tank and to fly the 15 mi to arkadelphia with the mixture in the full rich position and the fuel boost pump on. I took off from malvern for arkadelphia and climbed to 2000' MSL. I began a normal straight-in approach for runway 22 in arkadelphia 8-10 mi northeast of the airport. The engine began to cut out on 2 mi final for runway 22. I applied full throttle and received no response from the engine. My altitude was 700' MSL. I checked the mixture and boost pump. My left tank indicated 1/4 fuel. I attained best glide for 61-63 KTS. I radioed a mayday on the unicom to an aircraft behind me. I landed in an overgrown field approximately 1/4 mi from the approach end of runway 22. My passenger and I smelled fuel; radioed another mayday; switched magnetos, battery and alternator off; and left the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FUEL EXHAUSTION OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM CARLISLE, AR IN AN SMA WITH JUST OVER 1/2 FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND JUST UNDER 1/2 FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. I LANDED IN MALVERN, AR WITH 3/8 FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND 0 FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. I CALLED FBO IN ARKADELPHIA, AR. A FLT INSTR SAID THE FUEL SHOULD FEED FROM THE LEFT TANK AND TO FLY THE 15 MI TO ARKADELPHIA WITH THE MIXTURE IN THE FULL RICH POS AND THE FUEL BOOST PUMP ON. I TOOK OFF FROM MALVERN FOR ARKADELPHIA AND CLBED TO 2000' MSL. I BEGAN A NORMAL STRAIGHT-IN APCH FOR RWY 22 IN ARKADELPHIA 8-10 MI NE OF THE ARPT. THE ENG BEGAN TO CUT OUT ON 2 MI FINAL FOR RWY 22. I APPLIED FULL THROTTLE AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENG. MY ALT WAS 700' MSL. I CHKED THE MIXTURE AND BOOST PUMP. MY LEFT TANK INDICATED 1/4 FUEL. I ATTAINED BEST GLIDE FOR 61-63 KTS. I RADIOED A MAYDAY ON THE UNICOM TO AN ACFT BEHIND ME. I LANDED IN AN OVERGROWN FIELD APPROX 1/4 MI FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 22. MY PAX AND I SMELLED FUEL; RADIOED ANOTHER MAYDAY; SWITCHED MAGNETOS, BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR OFF; AND LEFT THE ACFT.

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.