When aircraft is not fueled as ordered, fuel starvation causes forced landing on farm.

Attributes
ACN	184689
Time
Date	199107
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 43ii airport : day airport : 05c
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 90 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	184689
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe 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 other

Narrative:

Flew from griffith to dayton in 2.2 hours. Upon arrival, told FBO to put in 10 gal of 100 ll, and paid for gas. Before departure back to griffith, I preflted the plane, but didn't feel any gas at the top of the filler neck. I assumed that was because I had only requested 10 gal, and that it was not quite 'topped off'. I did not visually check the tanks. Upon start-up, the fuel gauges showed about 5/8 full in both tanks. I figured they were just reading poorly as many small aircraft fuel gauges do. About 2 hours into the flight, and 5 mi from the airport the engine quit and would not restart. I was at 2000 ft MSL so I had to choose a landing site quickly. At that time the right tank showed near empty and the left tank showed just under 1/4 full. I landed in a farm field, but the plane slipped just before stopping because the nose wheel dug into the soft dirt. There were no injuries to anyone. The plane was damaged, but is repairable. Lessons learned: better preflight (visual check of fuel), and to trust the fuel gauges when they start reading low. Also, not to trust FBO, since apparently they never put gas in my plane, even though I prepaid for it!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHEN ACFT IS NOT FUELED AS ORDERED, FUEL STARVATION CAUSES FORCED LNDG ON FARM.

Narrative: FLEW FROM GRIFFITH TO DAYTON IN 2.2 HRS. UPON ARR, TOLD FBO TO PUT IN 10 GAL OF 100 LL, AND PAID FOR GAS. BEFORE DEP BACK TO GRIFFITH, I PREFLTED THE PLANE, BUT DIDN'T FEEL ANY GAS AT THE TOP OF THE FILLER NECK. I ASSUMED THAT WAS BECAUSE I HAD ONLY REQUESTED 10 GAL, AND THAT IT WAS NOT QUITE 'TOPPED OFF'. I DID NOT VISUALLY CHK THE TANKS. UPON START-UP, THE FUEL GAUGES SHOWED ABOUT 5/8 FULL IN BOTH TANKS. I FIGURED THEY WERE JUST READING POORLY AS MANY SMA FUEL GAUGES DO. ABOUT 2 HRS INTO THE FLT, AND 5 MI FROM THE ARPT THE ENG QUIT AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I WAS AT 2000 FT MSL SO I HAD TO CHOOSE A LNDG SITE QUICKLY. AT THAT TIME THE R TANK SHOWED NEAR EMPTY AND THE L TANK SHOWED JUST UNDER 1/4 FULL. I LANDED IN A FARM FIELD, BUT THE PLANE SLIPPED JUST BEFORE STOPPING BECAUSE THE NOSE WHEEL DUG INTO THE SOFT DIRT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO ANYONE. THE PLANE WAS DAMAGED, BUT IS REPAIRABLE. LESSONS LEARNED: BETTER PREFLT (VISUAL CHK OF FUEL), AND TO TRUST THE FUEL GAUGES WHEN THEY START READING LOW. ALSO, NOT TO TRUST FBO, SINCE APPARENTLY THEY NEVER PUT GAS IN MY PLANE, EVEN THOUGH I PREPAID FOR IT!

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.