GA experimental small aircraft forced off airport landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	162924
Time
Date	199011
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 39n airport : n39
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
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
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 712 flight time type : 42
ASRS Report	162924
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft is experimental. Flight was made to determine performance of new carbon fiber propeller design. Preflight check showed 1/4 full fuel indication on capacitance-type tank level indicators (fuel cannot be visly checked at low levels due to dihedral effect of full span wing tankage). Outbnd flight was made from 39N to solberg VOR. A distance of 12 NM. Taking approximately 5 mins. On turning for return run the engine lost power. Left tank level indication was zero. Switched to right tank, engine power returned and started return run to 39N. About halfway back engine lost power again and could not be restarted. (Left tank indication was zero). Forced landing was made on pipeline right-of-way, causing damage to nose gear due to rough terrain. Aircraft was transported back to 39N by truck and fuel system tested for leaks using fuel pumps from separate source. System tested okay except for some leakage from carburetor. Apparently slight float valve leakage. Conclusion is apparent false indication of fuel tank levels at beginning of flight. In future will not depart west/O at least 2/3 tank level, as confirmed by visibility check of tankage. Judgement error was not landing at solberg airport after first engine power loss.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA EXPERIMENTAL SMA FORCED OFF ARPT LNDG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: ACFT IS EXPERIMENTAL. FLT WAS MADE TO DETERMINE PERFORMANCE OF NEW CARBON FIBER PROP DESIGN. PREFLT CHK SHOWED 1/4 FULL FUEL INDICATION ON CAPACITANCE-TYPE TANK LEVEL INDICATORS (FUEL CANNOT BE VISLY CHKED AT LOW LEVELS DUE TO DIHEDRAL EFFECT OF FULL SPAN WING TANKAGE). OUTBND FLT WAS MADE FROM 39N TO SOLBERG VOR. A DISTANCE OF 12 NM. TAKING APPROX 5 MINS. ON TURNING FOR RETURN RUN THE ENG LOST PWR. L TANK LEVEL INDICATION WAS ZERO. SWITCHED TO R TANK, ENG PWR RETURNED AND STARTED RETURN RUN TO 39N. ABOUT HALFWAY BACK ENG LOST PWR AGAIN AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. (L TANK INDICATION WAS ZERO). FORCED LNDG WAS MADE ON PIPELINE RIGHT-OF-WAY, CAUSING DAMAGE TO NOSE GEAR DUE TO ROUGH TERRAIN. ACFT WAS TRANSPORTED BACK TO 39N BY TRUCK AND FUEL SYS TESTED FOR LEAKS USING FUEL PUMPS FROM SEPARATE SOURCE. SYS TESTED OKAY EXCEPT FOR SOME LEAKAGE FROM CARBURETOR. APPARENTLY SLIGHT FLOAT VALVE LEAKAGE. CONCLUSION IS APPARENT FALSE INDICATION OF FUEL TANK LEVELS AT BEGINNING OF FLT. IN FUTURE WILL NOT DEPART W/O AT LEAST 2/3 TANK LEVEL, AS CONFIRMED BY VIS CHK OF TANKAGE. JUDGEMENT ERROR WAS NOT LNDG AT SOLBERG ARPT AFTER FIRST ENG PWR LOSS.

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.