Pilot of an small aircraft single engine land atx aircraft ran out of fuel during descent and approa...

Attributes
ACN	238909
Time
Date	199304
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 6s8 airport : bil
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bil
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 10900
ASRS Report	238909
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I experienced engine failure about 10 NM southwest of the billings, mt, logan field airport and approximately 4 NM north of the laurel, mt, municipal airport. My altitude was 7500 MSL. Fuel pressure was low, so I turned on the boost pump. I got momentary power but the engine quit again. I checked the fuel gauges and both tanks indicated empty. The fuel selector was on both tanks. I attempted to glide to laurel airport but was unable and landed gear up in a small field about 2 NM north of laurel airport. There were no injuries to myself or my passenger. The flight was from billings, mt, to anaconda, mt, and return. I personally looked into both fuel tanks before departure from billings, mt, and estimated that there was between 65 and 75 gallons of fuel in the tanks. At 15 gallons per hour, that would equal 4 hours and 20 mins to 5 hours of fuel. Normal trip time is 3 hours. Hobbs time to the engine failure was 2.7 hours. Total fuel capacity for the aircraft is 85 gallons usable. Before landing in anaconda, mt, the fuel gauges indicated over 1/2 tank in each side. On departure from anaconda, mt, for billings, mt, they still indicated 1/2 tank on each side. Contributing factors: I did not monitor the fuel gauges closely enough. The fuel gauges are located on the bottom of the pedestal out of the pilot's normal scan. Fuel leak or unusual fuel consumption. To prevent a recurrence, continually monitor all gauges especially the fuel gauges.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SINGLE ENG LAND ATX ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL DURING DSCNT AND APCH AND WAS FORCED TO LAND WHEELS UP OFF ARPT RESULTING IN NO INJURIES AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative: I EXPERIENCED ENG FAILURE ABOUT 10 NM SW OF THE BILLINGS, MT, LOGAN FIELD ARPT AND APPROX 4 NM N OF THE LAUREL, MT, MUNICIPAL ARPT. MY ALT WAS 7500 MSL. FUEL PRESSURE WAS LOW, SO I TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP. I GOT MOMENTARY PWR BUT THE ENG QUIT AGAIN. I CHKED THE FUEL GAUGES AND BOTH TANKS INDICATED EMPTY. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON BOTH TANKS. I ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO LAUREL ARPT BUT WAS UNABLE AND LANDED GEAR UP IN A SMALL FIELD ABOUT 2 NM N OF LAUREL ARPT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO MYSELF OR MY PAX. THE FLT WAS FROM BILLINGS, MT, TO ANACONDA, MT, AND RETURN. I PERSONALLY LOOKED INTO BOTH FUEL TANKS BEFORE DEP FROM BILLINGS, MT, AND ESTIMATED THAT THERE WAS BTWN 65 AND 75 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE TANKS. AT 15 GALLONS PER HR, THAT WOULD EQUAL 4 HRS AND 20 MINS TO 5 HRS OF FUEL. NORMAL TRIP TIME IS 3 HRS. HOBBS TIME TO THE ENG FAILURE WAS 2.7 HRS. TOTAL FUEL CAPACITY FOR THE ACFT IS 85 GALLONS USABLE. BEFORE LNDG IN ANACONDA, MT, THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED OVER 1/2 TANK IN EACH SIDE. ON DEP FROM ANACONDA, MT, FOR BILLINGS, MT, THEY STILL INDICATED 1/2 TANK ON EACH SIDE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I DID NOT MONITOR THE FUEL GAUGES CLOSELY ENOUGH. THE FUEL GAUGES ARE LOCATED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PEDESTAL OUT OF THE PLT'S NORMAL SCAN. FUEL LEAK OR UNUSUAL FUEL CONSUMPTION. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, CONTINUALLY MONITOR ALL GAUGES ESPECIALLY THE FUEL GAUGES.

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.

Pilot of an small aircraft single engine land atx aircraft ran out of fuel during descent and approach and was forced to land wheels up off airport resulting in no injuries and only minor damage to the aircraft.