Narrative:

Skydivers had just been dropped and I was circling to land. I should have had 5 gallons fuel remaining. On final, I slipped the aircraft (moderately) and the engine quit. I straightened the plane out and applied full mixture and propeller, then pumped the throttle, but the engine would not start. I realized I wouldn't make the field, so landed next to a barn and entered into a barley field. The propeller was feathered and no damage was sustained. We pulled the plane out of the field and cleaned the air filter and checked for other damage. Finding no damage and determining that the plane's engine stopped because of the slipping, I put another 5 gallons into the left tank. I had 5 gallons remaining in the right tank. The plane started right up. We then stopped traffic on highway 20 next to picabo and I took off from the highway approximately 1 1/2 mi east of picabo. I then circled and landed at picabo airport. I felt all actions taken by me were correct. When the engine quit and I could not start it, I immediately chose a landing field and prepared for a safe landing. Since I was at 500 ft, things happened fast. The one thing I should have done and didn't, was hit the starter button. I assumed I was totally out of gas since the windmilling propeller would not start it. But, I reached a point where all my attention was focused on missing wires, farm machinery, and keeping my airspeed as close to the best glide as I could. My feeling now is to retain at least 10 gallons after dropping jumpers, do not slip while low on fuel, and hit the starter button should the engine ever quit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG DUE TO ENG STOPPAGE OF AN SMA SINGLE ENG LAND ACFT.

Narrative: SKYDIVERS HAD JUST BEEN DROPPED AND I WAS CIRCLING TO LAND. I SHOULD HAVE HAD 5 GALLONS FUEL REMAINING. ON FINAL, I SLIPPED THE ACFT (MODERATELY) AND THE ENG QUIT. I STRAIGHTENED THE PLANE OUT AND APPLIED FULL MIXTURE AND PROP, THEN PUMPED THE THROTTLE, BUT THE ENG WOULD NOT START. I REALIZED I WOULDN'T MAKE THE FIELD, SO LANDED NEXT TO A BARN AND ENTERED INTO A BARLEY FIELD. THE PROP WAS FEATHERED AND NO DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED. WE PULLED THE PLANE OUT OF THE FIELD AND CLEANED THE AIR FILTER AND CHKED FOR OTHER DAMAGE. FINDING NO DAMAGE AND DETERMINING THAT THE PLANE'S ENG STOPPED BECAUSE OF THE SLIPPING, I PUT ANOTHER 5 GALLONS INTO THE L TANK. I HAD 5 GALLONS REMAINING IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE PLANE STARTED RIGHT UP. WE THEN STOPPED TFC ON HWY 20 NEXT TO PICABO AND I TOOK OFF FROM THE HWY APPROX 1 1/2 MI E OF PICABO. I THEN CIRCLED AND LANDED AT PICABO ARPT. I FELT ALL ACTIONS TAKEN BY ME WERE CORRECT. WHEN THE ENG QUIT AND I COULD NOT START IT, I IMMEDIATELY CHOSE A LNDG FIELD AND PREPARED FOR A SAFE LNDG. SINCE I WAS AT 500 FT, THINGS HAPPENED FAST. THE ONE THING I SHOULD HAVE DONE AND DIDN'T, WAS HIT THE STARTER BUTTON. I ASSUMED I WAS TOTALLY OUT OF GAS SINCE THE WINDMILLING PROP WOULD NOT START IT. BUT, I REACHED A POINT WHERE ALL MY ATTN WAS FOCUSED ON MISSING WIRES, FARM MACHINERY, AND KEEPING MY AIRSPD AS CLOSE TO THE BEST GLIDE AS I COULD. MY FEELING NOW IS TO RETAIN AT LEAST 10 GALLONS AFTER DROPPING JUMPERS, DO NOT SLIP WHILE LOW ON FUEL, AND HIT THE STARTER BUTTON SHOULD THE ENG EVER QUIT.

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.