Narrative:

A satisfactory preflight WX briefing was obtained and a flight plan was filed for both legs of the tucson-el paso-tucson round trip. Fuel consumption was calculated and found to be adequate and with proper reserves for the round trip flight. Aircraft logs and paperwork were inspected and were correct. The left fuel gauge was inoperable but since I do not rely on fuel gauges, I decided to fly the trip. The leg to el paso was uneventful and the fuel tanks were dipped and found to contain adequate fuel for the return leg with reserves. A short distance outside of tucson the right fuel gauge began to indicate a rapidly decreasing fuel supply and in fact went to a 0 reading. In accordance with the poh the fuel selector was left on 'both' as it had been for the entire flight up to that time. While approximately 2 mi out on a straight in approach to tucson international 29R the engine sputtered and then quit. Since the right fuel gauge had decreased to 0, I switched to the left tank, checked mixture rich, magnetos on both, master on, while beginning to set up for an emergency landing. I briefed my passenger on the emergency landing, notified tower of my intentions and landed the aircraft near a paved road (unable to reach the road) on a generally southerly heading. The aircraft received damage to the left wing and wing tip, spinner, propeller and lower cowling. There were no personal inquiries and no property damage other than to the aircraft. After securing the aircraft, I checked the fuel tanks and found the right tank to be dry while the left tank contained between 12 and 15 gallons. I have no idea why the fuel starvation occurred as we were in level descending flight with adequate fuel in the left main with the selector on both at the time of engine stoppage. I feel confident that all of my actions regarding the preparation for and conduct of this flight were proper and that I did everything possible to minimize damage and injury after the failure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA MADE OFF ARPT LNDG WHEN ENG QUIT FROM FUEL STARVATION SHORT OF RWY AT TUS.

Narrative: A SATISFACTORY PREFLT WX BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED AND A FLT PLAN WAS FILED FOR BOTH LEGS OF THE TUCSON-EL PASO-TUCSON ROUND TRIP. FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS CALCULATED AND FOUND TO BE ADEQUATE AND WITH PROPER RESERVES FOR THE ROUND TRIP FLT. ACFT LOGS AND PAPERWORK WERE INSPECTED AND WERE CORRECT. THE L FUEL GAUGE WAS INOPERABLE BUT SINCE I DO NOT RELY ON FUEL GAUGES, I DECIDED TO FLY THE TRIP. THE LEG TO EL PASO WAS UNEVENTFUL AND THE FUEL TANKS WERE DIPPED AND FOUND TO CONTAIN ADEQUATE FUEL FOR THE RETURN LEG WITH RESERVES. A SHORT DISTANCE OUTSIDE OF TUCSON THE R FUEL GAUGE BEGAN TO INDICATE A RAPIDLY DECREASING FUEL SUPPLY AND IN FACT WENT TO A 0 READING. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POH THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS LEFT ON 'BOTH' AS IT HAD BEEN FOR THE ENTIRE FLT UP TO THAT TIME. WHILE APPROX 2 MI OUT ON A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO TUCSON INTL 29R THE ENG SPUTTERED AND THEN QUIT. SINCE THE R FUEL GAUGE HAD DECREASED TO 0, I SWITCHED TO THE L TANK, CHKED MIXTURE RICH, MAGNETOS ON BOTH, MASTER ON, WHILE BEGINNING TO SET UP FOR AN EMER LNDG. I BRIEFED MY PAX ON THE EMER LNDG, NOTIFIED TWR OF MY INTENTIONS AND LANDED THE ACFT NEAR A PAVED ROAD (UNABLE TO REACH THE ROAD) ON A GENERALLY SOUTHERLY HDG. THE ACFT RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE L WING AND WING TIP, SPINNER, PROP AND LOWER COWLING. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INQUIRIES AND NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OTHER THAN TO THE ACFT. AFTER SECURING THE ACFT, I CHKED THE FUEL TANKS AND FOUND THE R TANK TO BE DRY WHILE THE L TANK CONTAINED BTWN 12 AND 15 GALLONS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE FUEL STARVATION OCCURRED AS WE WERE IN LEVEL DSNDING FLT WITH ADEQUATE FUEL IN THE L MAIN WITH THE SELECTOR ON BOTH AT THE TIME OF ENG STOPPAGE. I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT ALL OF MY ACTIONS REGARDING THE PREPARATION FOR AND CONDUCT OF THIS FLT WERE PROPER AND THAT I DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE AND INJURY AFTER THE FAILURE.

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.