Narrative:

Departed fullerton airport, ca, at approximately XA10 am on dec/wed/93 en route to falcon field, mesa, az. West of phx TCA were handed off by ZAB to phx approach control and descended from 11500 ft to 7500 ft with vectors south of phx sky harbor. Had departed ful with an estimated 45 gallons of fuel aboard, and both fuel gauges indicating 1/2 tank or above, and had used approximately 24-25 gallons en route, from a combination of both tanks (left tank for climb and initial cruise, then right tank for the balance of flight). The right fuel gauge indicated almost empty when approach control started vectors and descent south of phx TCA, so I switched back to the left tank, which was still indicating about 1/2 full. Shortly after reaching 7500 ft MSL, the engine surged and lower power, so switched back to right tank and electric fuel pump. Engine ran about 1 - 1 1/2 mins then surged and died so went back to left tank (gauge indicating approximately 1/2 full), until engine died again and would not restart. Declared an emergency with phx approach and turned toward goodyear airport 6-7 mi away. Controled descent and forced landing in soft field about 3 mi from goodyear. Left fuel gauge still indicating 1/2 full after impact and stop. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: gear was extended for landing. Nose gear collapsed in the soft ground resulting in damage to the nose. Has not received any inquiry from the FAA. Fuel gauge was found stuck on the 1/2 full indication. Does not have an accurate fuel flow gauge.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FORCED LNDG RESULT OF FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: DEPARTED FULLERTON ARPT, CA, AT APPROX XA10 AM ON DEC/WED/93 ENRTE TO FALCON FIELD, MESA, AZ. W OF PHX TCA WERE HANDED OFF BY ZAB TO PHX APCH CTL AND DSNDED FROM 11500 FT TO 7500 FT WITH VECTORS S OF PHX SKY HARBOR. HAD DEPARTED FUL WITH AN ESTIMATED 45 GALLONS OF FUEL ABOARD, AND BOTH FUEL GAUGES INDICATING 1/2 TANK OR ABOVE, AND HAD USED APPROX 24-25 GALLONS ENRTE, FROM A COMBINATION OF BOTH TANKS (L TANK FOR CLB AND INITIAL CRUISE, THEN R TANK FOR THE BAL OF FLT). THE R FUEL GAUGE INDICATED ALMOST EMPTY WHEN APCH CTL STARTED VECTORS AND DSCNT S OF PHX TCA, SO I SWITCHED BACK TO THE L TANK, WHICH WAS STILL INDICATING ABOUT 1/2 FULL. SHORTLY AFTER REACHING 7500 FT MSL, THE ENG SURGED AND LOWER PWR, SO SWITCHED BACK TO R TANK AND ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. ENG RAN ABOUT 1 - 1 1/2 MINS THEN SURGED AND DIED SO WENT BACK TO L TANK (GAUGE INDICATING APPROX 1/2 FULL), UNTIL ENG DIED AGAIN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. DECLARED AN EMER WITH PHX APCH AND TURNED TOWARD GOODYEAR ARPT 6-7 MI AWAY. CTLED DSCNT AND FORCED LNDG IN SOFT FIELD ABOUT 3 MI FROM GOODYEAR. L FUEL GAUGE STILL INDICATING 1/2 FULL AFTER IMPACT AND STOP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: GEAR WAS EXTENDED FOR LNDG. NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED IN THE SOFT GND RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE NOSE. HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY INQUIRY FROM THE FAA. FUEL GAUGE WAS FOUND STUCK ON THE 1/2 FULL INDICATION. DOES NOT HAVE AN ACCURATE FUEL FLOW GAUGE.

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.