Narrative:

I would first like to inform you that I have been flying for approximately 500 hours since 1984, and have never had any problems of this nature. On feb/xx/93, we topped off at new smyrna beach airport, and I personally checked and replaced the fuel caps. On feb/xy/93, after completing preflight and checking fuel quantity, we departed new smyrna beach at XA00 am. We informed flight following of our route and destination of morristown municipal airport, nj, with an anticipated fuel stop in the southern del marva peninsula. The visibility was better than 20 mi with no ceiling. At approximately 4.5 hours into our flight, we were about to advise ZDC that we would like a gradual descent from 7500 ft MSL into accomack for fuel. At that time, the fuel gauges read 1/4 tank remaining. It was at this point that we experienced a loss of power. While attempting a restart, we contacted ZDC, who obtained clearance for us into langley AFB. When we were 3 mi out, ZDC advised us to contact langley tower, which we did, and we were then cleared to land. After refueling at langley AFB, we flew to mmu, nj, without further incident. As per the aircraft pilot's handbook, the properly leaned power setting was 2300 RPM, 21 inches manifold pressure. This yields 12.2 gallons per hour, with an endurance of 6 hours. It is our common practice to calculate that small aircraft burns 13 gallons per hour, and also allow a proper reserve. It is my opinion that our apparent loss of fuel, and accompanying erroneously high fuel gauge readings, were directly caused by leaking fuel caps. This is corroborated by the fact that there were blue fuel stains on the wings we discovered at langley AFB. Since the incident, aircraft has been taken to FBO in nj, where new raised vented style fuel caps have been installed as per manufacturer bulletin. I have also filed a report with NASA in an effort to warn other pilots of this problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER LNDG DUE FUEL CAP LEAKAGE, FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO INFORM YOU THAT I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR APPROX 500 HRS SINCE 1984, AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBS OF THIS NATURE. ON FEB/XX/93, WE TOPPED OFF AT NEW SMYRNA BEACH ARPT, AND I PERSONALLY CHKED AND REPLACED THE FUEL CAPS. ON FEB/XY/93, AFTER COMPLETING PREFLT AND CHKING FUEL QUANTITY, WE DEPARTED NEW SMYRNA BEACH AT XA00 AM. WE INFORMED FLT FOLLOWING OF OUR RTE AND DEST OF MORRISTOWN MUNICIPAL ARPT, NJ, WITH AN ANTICIPATED FUEL STOP IN THE SOUTHERN DEL MARVA PENINSULA. THE VISIBILITY WAS BETTER THAN 20 MI WITH NO CEILING. AT APPROX 4.5 HRS INTO OUR FLT, WE WERE ABOUT TO ADVISE ZDC THAT WE WOULD LIKE A GRADUAL DSCNT FROM 7500 FT MSL INTO ACCOMACK FOR FUEL. AT THAT TIME, THE FUEL GAUGES READ 1/4 TANK REMAINING. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT WE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF PWR. WHILE ATTEMPTING A RESTART, WE CONTACTED ZDC, WHO OBTAINED CLRNC FOR US INTO LANGLEY AFB. WHEN WE WERE 3 MI OUT, ZDC ADVISED US TO CONTACT LANGLEY TWR, WHICH WE DID, AND WE WERE THEN CLRED TO LAND. AFTER REFUELING AT LANGLEY AFB, WE FLEW TO MMU, NJ, WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AS PER THE ACFT PLT'S HANDBOOK, THE PROPERLY LEANED PWR SETTING WAS 2300 RPM, 21 INCHES MANIFOLD PRESSURE. THIS YIELDS 12.2 GALLONS PER HR, WITH AN ENDURANCE OF 6 HRS. IT IS OUR COMMON PRACTICE TO CALCULATE THAT SMA BURNS 13 GALLONS PER HR, AND ALSO ALLOW A PROPER RESERVE. IT IS MY OPINION THAT OUR APPARENT LOSS OF FUEL, AND ACCOMPANYING ERRONEOUSLY HIGH FUEL GAUGE READINGS, WERE DIRECTLY CAUSED BY LEAKING FUEL CAPS. THIS IS CORROBORATED BY THE FACT THAT THERE WERE BLUE FUEL STAINS ON THE WINGS WE DISCOVERED AT LANGLEY AFB. SINCE THE INCIDENT, ACFT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO FBO IN NJ, WHERE NEW RAISED VENTED STYLE FUEL CAPS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AS PER MANUFACTURER BULLETIN. I HAVE ALSO FILED A RPT WITH NASA IN AN EFFORT TO WARN OTHER PLTS OF THIS PROB.

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.