Off airport emergency forced landing when small aircraft suffers fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	234785
Time
Date	199302
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aap
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	234785
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On flight from ft myers-page, fl, to houston, tx, stopped in pensacola (pns) for gas and lunch. Took on 40.2 gallons 100LL, tank appeared to be full, which should allow for 5 hours of operation. Filed IFR flight plan in the air with deridder, la, FSS after getting updated WX for houston. Flight plan activated near lafayette (lft), rted direct sabine VOR and gilco 1 arrival. While being radar vectored to andrau airpark (aap), noticed fuel pressure falling, switched on boost pump, then the engine quit. I switched tanks, engine restarted, but quit about 10 mins later at 3000 ft MSL in IMC. ATC vectored me toward aap. I broke out at 1700 ft MSL, but didn't feel I could make the airport, so I landed in a large field about 1-2 mi south of aap rather than chance gliding over the built-up residential area between this field and aap. Landing normal, no damage to aircraft or property. On inspection, tanks were empty. A known problem with these tanks is that they seep fuel along the top of the spar when full, but this has always been very minor. Gauges read lower than actual, so I was not concerned with low readings, and have always measured fuel burn by time. When in doubt, will refuel, reduce trip legs to 3 hours maximum.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OFF ARPT EMER FORCED LNDG WHEN SMA SUFFERS FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM FT MYERS-PAGE, FL, TO HOUSTON, TX, STOPPED IN PENSACOLA (PNS) FOR GAS AND LUNCH. TOOK ON 40.2 GALLONS 100LL, TANK APPEARED TO BE FULL, WHICH SHOULD ALLOW FOR 5 HRS OF OP. FILED IFR FLT PLAN IN THE AIR WITH DERIDDER, LA, FSS AFTER GETTING UPDATED WX FOR HOUSTON. FLT PLAN ACTIVATED NEAR LAFAYETTE (LFT), RTED DIRECT SABINE VOR AND GILCO 1 ARR. WHILE BEING RADAR VECTORED TO ANDRAU AIRPARK (AAP), NOTICED FUEL PRESSURE FALLING, SWITCHED ON BOOST PUMP, THEN THE ENG QUIT. I SWITCHED TANKS, ENG RESTARTED, BUT QUIT ABOUT 10 MINS LATER AT 3000 FT MSL IN IMC. ATC VECTORED ME TOWARD AAP. I BROKE OUT AT 1700 FT MSL, BUT DIDN'T FEEL I COULD MAKE THE ARPT, SO I LANDED IN A LARGE FIELD ABOUT 1-2 MI S OF AAP RATHER THAN CHANCE GLIDING OVER THE BUILT-UP RESIDENTIAL AREA BTWN THIS FIELD AND AAP. LNDG NORMAL, NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR PROPERTY. ON INSPECTION, TANKS WERE EMPTY. A KNOWN PROB WITH THESE TANKS IS THAT THEY SEEP FUEL ALONG THE TOP OF THE SPAR WHEN FULL, BUT THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY MINOR. GAUGES READ LOWER THAN ACTUAL, SO I WAS NOT CONCERNED WITH LOW READINGS, AND HAVE ALWAYS MEASURED FUEL BURN BY TIME. WHEN IN DOUBT, WILL REFUEL, REDUCE TRIP LEGS TO 3 HRS MAX.

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.