Narrative:

I was starting a cross country flight at 6500 MSL from augua dulce (L70) through high desert (L80) airpark. The start of the flight the aircraft was topped of with fuel. Approximately (15 mins out) or 45 mins I noticed a rapid loss of fuel in the right wing tank. When the fuel indicator went into the red, I selected the closest airport. The LORAN showed victorville upon selecting same, I was surprised to find that george air force base was answering my call. I informed the control tower that my right tank was in the red and the left tank was rapidly dropping level. The tower informed me that I would have to declare an emergency to use their runways, so I did this. I was cleared to land on the active. On the ground I observed the right tank was low but I mistrusted the fuel gauges as the left was near full. While filling out all the forms, both tanks equalized. This gave me a safe quantity in both tanks for takeoff and landing at hesperia (L26). I found later the right gas cap was allowing fuel to be siphoned out. O-rings were replaced on both sides. When filling out paperwork for george's air force base security, I was not able to show pilots license, this I later found in flight baggage in rear of plane. Security contacted the riverside FAA to get permission for my return flight to home base agua dulce (L70). FAA inspector gave permission for my return in absence of having my pilots license. Corrective action: 1) when the problem started I should have selected the left tank immediately, then I could have selected another airport, hesperia (L26). 2) 'carry photo copies of pilots license and medical so that they will not be separated.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIVATE PLT OF SMA ACFT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG DUE UNEXPECTED FUEL LOSS.

Narrative: I WAS STARTING A XCOUNTRY FLT AT 6500 MSL FROM AUGUA DULCE (L70) THROUGH HIGH DESERT (L80) AIRPARK. THE START OF THE FLT THE ACFT WAS TOPPED OF WITH FUEL. APPROX (15 MINS OUT) OR 45 MINS I NOTICED A RAPID LOSS OF FUEL IN THE R WING TANK. WHEN THE FUEL INDICATOR WENT INTO THE RED, I SELECTED THE CLOSEST ARPT. THE LORAN SHOWED VICTORVILLE UPON SELECTING SAME, I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT GEORGE AIR FORCE BASE WAS ANSWERING MY CALL. I INFORMED THE CTL TWR THAT MY R TANK WAS IN THE RED AND THE L TANK WAS RAPIDLY DROPPING LEVEL. THE TWR INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER TO USE THEIR RWYS, SO I DID THIS. I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON THE ACTIVE. ON THE GND I OBSERVED THE R TANK WAS LOW BUT I MISTRUSTED THE FUEL GAUGES AS THE L WAS NEAR FULL. WHILE FILLING OUT ALL THE FORMS, BOTH TANKS EQUALIZED. THIS GAVE ME A SAFE QUANTITY IN BOTH TANKS FOR TKOF AND LNDG AT HESPERIA (L26). I FOUND LATER THE R GAS CAP WAS ALLOWING FUEL TO BE SIPHONED OUT. O-RINGS WERE REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES. WHEN FILLING OUT PAPERWORK FOR GEORGE'S AIR FORCE BASE SECURITY, I WAS NOT ABLE TO SHOW PLTS LICENSE, THIS I LATER FOUND IN FLT BAGGAGE IN REAR OF PLANE. SECURITY CONTACTED THE RIVERSIDE FAA TO GET PERMISSION FOR MY RETURN FLT TO HOME BASE AGUA DULCE (L70). FAA INSPECTOR GAVE PERMISSION FOR MY RETURN IN ABSENCE OF HAVING MY PLTS LICENSE. CORRECTIVE ACTION: 1) WHEN THE PROBLEM STARTED I SHOULD HAVE SELECTED THE L TANK IMMEDIATELY, THEN I COULD HAVE SELECTED ANOTHER ARPT, HESPERIA (L26). 2) 'CARRY PHOTO COPIES OF PLTS LICENSE AND MEDICAL SO THAT THEY WILL NOT BE SEPARATED.'

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.