Emergency declared prior to an off airport forced landing in an small aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	269098
Time
Date	199404
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem tower : p06
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 11 flight time total : 340 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	260098
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight originated at XA14 on apr/xy/94. Proceeded to clt to wait out WX. Fuel tanks were topped off upon landing in clt. Both pilots slept from approximately 2100 to 0300. Flight began again at AM00 and was schedule to go to mem. The flight was to take 4.45 hours. Using the performance charts in aircraft, the endurance of the aircraft was computed to be 6:20 at 8000 ft using 2500 RPM and 21.0 ft mp power settings. At a distance of approximately 20 sse of mem, the left tank ran dry. At that time, the tanks were switched to the right side, at which point the engine restarted and the right tank fuel gauge still showed fuel available. We were headed directly for mem airport at this point. At approximately 10 mi sse of mem airport the engine died and at this point, an emergency was declared and emergency procedures were initiated. The closest feasible landing spot was found. That's where we landed the aircraft. The field was a farmer's corn field which had not been plowed. There was no damage to the airplane or the field nor was anyone injured. Apparently, the performance charts in the aircraft are not the correct charts for this particular make and model. The aircraft was being ferried for the owner and he has been notified of problem with the charts and has been advised to take corrective measures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER DECLARED PRIOR TO AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG IN AN SMA.

Narrative: FLT ORIGINATED AT XA14 ON APR/XY/94. PROCEEDED TO CLT TO WAIT OUT WX. FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF UPON LNDG IN CLT. BOTH PLTS SLEPT FROM APPROX 2100 TO 0300. FLT BEGAN AGAIN AT AM00 AND WAS SCHEDULE TO GO TO MEM. THE FLT WAS TO TAKE 4.45 HRS. USING THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS IN ACFT, THE ENDURANCE OF THE ACFT WAS COMPUTED TO BE 6:20 AT 8000 FT USING 2500 RPM AND 21.0 FT MP PWR SETTINGS. AT A DISTANCE OF APPROX 20 SSE OF MEM, THE L TANK RAN DRY. AT THAT TIME, THE TANKS WERE SWITCHED TO THE R SIDE, AT WHICH POINT THE ENG RESTARTED AND THE R TANK FUEL GAUGE STILL SHOWED FUEL AVAILABLE. WE WERE HEADED DIRECTLY FOR MEM ARPT AT THIS POINT. AT APPROX 10 MI SSE OF MEM ARPT THE ENG DIED AND AT THIS POINT, AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND EMER PROCS WERE INITIATED. THE CLOSEST FEASIBLE LNDG SPOT WAS FOUND. THAT'S WHERE WE LANDED THE ACFT. THE FIELD WAS A FARMER'S CORN FIELD WHICH HAD NOT BEEN PLOWED. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE OR THE FIELD NOR WAS ANYONE INJURED. APPARENTLY, THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS IN THE ACFT ARE NOT THE CORRECT CHARTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL. THE ACFT WAS BEING FERRIED FOR THE OWNER AND HE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF PROB WITH THE CHARTS AND HAS BEEN ADVISED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURES.

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.