Narrative:

I was doing aerial photography at 500 ft AGL and about 2 hours 50 mins into the flight when my engine quit. During the cross country phase of the flight, I had switched to the left tank to even out the weight but didn't switch back to both when I descended down to 500 ft AGL. After the engine quit, I pitched for best glide and then picked my landing area. Just before touchdown I was able to do an emergency check and found I was still on the left tank. After switching over to the right tank, I had power but no room to climb out, so I continued the landing in a field. After checking the aircraft for damage I found none. After taxiing off of the field, I was able to takeoff from a nearby road. After reviewing what happened in this situation I have idented several errors in my decision making process and procedures. The biggest error was made in not using my checklists. I did my pretkof, takeoff and cruise checks but didn't do a descent check. Since this incident, I have made a 500 ft check before I start the photography, which is very similar to a premaneuver check. I now use this at all times before starting photography and consider it as important as my pretkof checks. In closing, I would like to add that I have always considered myself as a careful and conscientious pilot, but upon reviewing this incident I have idented several errors in my procedures and decision making process and has forced me to review other aspects of my flying that could be improved. Hopefully this incident has caused me to become a better pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PHOTO PLT RAN A FUEL TANK DRY WHILE TAKING PHOTOS AT 500 FT AGL.

Narrative: I WAS DOING AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AT 500 FT AGL AND ABOUT 2 HRS 50 MINS INTO THE FLT WHEN MY ENG QUIT. DURING THE XCOUNTRY PHASE OF THE FLT, I HAD SWITCHED TO THE L TANK TO EVEN OUT THE WT BUT DIDN'T SWITCH BACK TO BOTH WHEN I DSNDED DOWN TO 500 FT AGL. AFTER THE ENG QUIT, I PITCHED FOR BEST GLIDE AND THEN PICKED MY LNDG AREA. JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN I WAS ABLE TO DO AN EMER CHK AND FOUND I WAS STILL ON THE L TANK. AFTER SWITCHING OVER TO THE R TANK, I HAD PWR BUT NO ROOM TO CLB OUT, SO I CONTINUED THE LNDG IN A FIELD. AFTER CHKING THE ACFT FOR DAMAGE I FOUND NONE. AFTER TAXIING OFF OF THE FIELD, I WAS ABLE TO TKOF FROM A NEARBY ROAD. AFTER REVIEWING WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS SITUATION I HAVE IDENTED SEVERAL ERRORS IN MY DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND PROCS. THE BIGGEST ERROR WAS MADE IN NOT USING MY CHKLISTS. I DID MY PRETKOF, TKOF AND CRUISE CHKS BUT DIDN'T DO A DSCNT CHK. SINCE THIS INCIDENT, I HAVE MADE A 500 FT CHK BEFORE I START THE PHOTOGRAPHY, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO A PREMANEUVER CHK. I NOW USE THIS AT ALL TIMES BEFORE STARTING PHOTOGRAPHY AND CONSIDER IT AS IMPORTANT AS MY PRETKOF CHKS. IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT I HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED MYSELF AS A CAREFUL AND CONSCIENTIOUS PLT, BUT UPON REVIEWING THIS INCIDENT I HAVE IDENTED SEVERAL ERRORS IN MY PROCS AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND HAS FORCED ME TO REVIEW OTHER ASPECTS OF MY FLYING THAT COULD BE IMPROVED. HOPEFULLY THIS INCIDENT HAS CAUSED ME TO BECOME A BETTER PLT.

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.