Narrative:

I departed lake hood, ak, for big lake, ak, to pick up a friend in an small aircraft sel on model X floats. We departed big lake at XA00 am, filed a flight plan, and gave FSS WX reports 3 times along the 300 NM route. I dropped him off and started at another 104 NM stretch. 62 NM after last departure, my engine started to sputter. I had the fuel selector on the right tank at this time. My corrective actions were to switch the selector to the left tank and then give boost with both the high and low boost pump. The engine started but only for approximately 5 seconds, then died again and my next 2-3 attempts to restart the engine (time elapse 20-35 seconds) was unsuccessful. Forced landing was necessary, and was made successfully with little damage in a swamp. NTSB calls it an incident. Afterthoughts: I was low on gas in the right tank with approximately 10 gallons left in the left tank. Air might have been sucked in the fuel line, and my time for restart and altitude over ground was limited, but earlier experience told me that the engine should have started. After my calculations, there should have been another 16 gallons of gas after this 3.7 hour trip (80 gallons full tanks, 6 unusable). Turbulence might have been a small factor, and I am sure that if there would have been plenty of gas in both tanks this incident would never have occurred. But still, where did all the gas go, and why did it not restart?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT MADE FORCED LNDG OFF ARPT WHEN THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: I DEPARTED LAKE HOOD, AK, FOR BIG LAKE, AK, TO PICK UP A FRIEND IN AN SMA SEL ON MODEL X FLOATS. WE DEPARTED BIG LAKE AT XA00 AM, FILED A FLT PLAN, AND GAVE FSS WX RPTS 3 TIMES ALONG THE 300 NM RTE. I DROPPED HIM OFF AND STARTED AT ANOTHER 104 NM STRETCH. 62 NM AFTER LAST DEP, MY ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER. I HAD THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE R TANK AT THIS TIME. MY CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WERE TO SWITCH THE SELECTOR TO THE L TANK AND THEN GIVE BOOST WITH BOTH THE HIGH AND LOW BOOST PUMP. THE ENG STARTED BUT ONLY FOR APPROX 5 SECONDS, THEN DIED AGAIN AND MY NEXT 2-3 ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENG (TIME ELAPSE 20-35 SECONDS) WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. FORCED LNDG WAS NECESSARY, AND WAS MADE SUCCESSFULLY WITH LITTLE DAMAGE IN A SWAMP. NTSB CALLS IT AN INCIDENT. AFTERTHOUGHTS: I WAS LOW ON GAS IN THE R TANK WITH APPROX 10 GALLONS LEFT IN THE L TANK. AIR MIGHT HAVE BEEN SUCKED IN THE FUEL LINE, AND MY TIME FOR RESTART AND ALT OVER GND WAS LIMITED, BUT EARLIER EXPERIENCE TOLD ME THAT THE ENG SHOULD HAVE STARTED. AFTER MY CALCULATIONS, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER 16 GALLONS OF GAS AFTER THIS 3.7 HR TRIP (80 GALLONS FULL TANKS, 6 UNUSABLE). TURB MIGHT HAVE BEEN A SMALL FACTOR, AND I AM SURE THAT IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF GAS IN BOTH TANKS THIS INCIDENT WOULD NEVER HAVE OCCURRED. BUT STILL, WHERE DID ALL THE GAS GO, AND WHY DID IT NOT RESTART?

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.