Forced landing when 1 fuel tank runs dry and unable to restart engine from other tank.

Attributes
ACN	171730
Time
Date	199102
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mzz
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gus
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	171730
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	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:

Flying an small aircraft turbo. Handbook indicates 4.5 hours endurance with a 45 min reserve. Flew for 1 hour on the left tank. Flew for the second hour on the right tank. Switched back to left tank, but apparently failed to check time and fuel level on left tank. After about 1 hour and 20 mins, engine stopped with aircraft at 4000' MSL. I switched to right, informed ATC and landed in an empty field after engine did not restart. After landing I checked both tanks. Left tank was empty. Right tank had about 20 gals of fuel. How problem arose: did not check time on left tank. Contributing factors: did not turn on boost pump. Did not lower flaps for landing. Did not turn into the wind for landing. Possibility could have landed on road. There was very little traffic. Corrective action: switched tanks. Human performance: 1) sense of fear--almost total and nearly paralyzing. 2) disbelief--I consider myself a good pilot and could not believe I would run out of fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FORCED LNDG WHEN 1 FUEL TANK RUNS DRY AND UNABLE TO RESTART ENGINE FROM OTHER TANK.

Narrative: FLYING AN SMA TURBO. HANDBOOK INDICATES 4.5 HRS ENDURANCE WITH A 45 MIN RESERVE. FLEW FOR 1 HR ON THE LEFT TANK. FLEW FOR THE SECOND HR ON THE RIGHT TANK. SWITCHED BACK TO LEFT TANK, BUT APPARENTLY FAILED TO CHK TIME AND FUEL LEVEL ON LEFT TANK. AFTER ABOUT 1 HR AND 20 MINS, ENG STOPPED WITH ACFT AT 4000' MSL. I SWITCHED TO RIGHT, INFORMED ATC AND LANDED IN AN EMPTY FIELD AFTER ENG DID NOT RESTART. AFTER LNDG I CHKED BOTH TANKS. LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY. RIGHT TANK HAD ABOUT 20 GALS OF FUEL. HOW PROB AROSE: DID NOT CHK TIME ON LEFT TANK. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: DID NOT TURN ON BOOST PUMP. DID NOT LOWER FLAPS FOR LNDG. DID NOT TURN INTO THE WIND FOR LNDG. POSSIBILITY COULD HAVE LANDED ON ROAD. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TFC. CORRECTIVE ACTION: SWITCHED TANKS. HUMAN PERFORMANCE: 1) SENSE OF FEAR--ALMOST TOTAL AND NEARLY PARALYZING. 2) DISBELIEF--I CONSIDER MYSELF A GOOD PLT AND COULD NOT BELIEVE I WOULD RUN OUT OF FUEL.

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.