Fuel exhaustion -- forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	295485
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rst
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rst tower : aus
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	295485
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Fuel starvation and forced landing resulted in no damage or injury. While just southwest of rst on a visual approach to runway 02. My engine suddenly lost power. This was very unexpected because of flight planning which showed a requirement of 5.2 hours at 95 KTS ground speed to travel the distance of 490 NM from hka (blytheville, ar) to rst with a fuel stop at burlington, ia, (brl). Tanks were topped off at hka and another 10 gallons added at brl for a total of 48 gallons usable, and with a burn rate of 7.6 gph should have left 8.5 gallons of reserve fuel. The actual time on the hobbs meter was 5.5 instead of 5.2 which should have left 6 plus gallons of reserve. This lack of sufficient fuel was probably caused by several variables, first, when the aircraft was topped off, it was probably slightly less than full. Also it had been a couple of long days for me and, because of the turbulence, I may not have been really accurate when setting the power and/or mixture control. During this flight and prior to adding fuel at brl. I also observed the fuel gauges to help monitor my fuel consumption. While talking to rst approach, I noticed my right fuel gauge said almost empty while the left one said 3/8 full which agreed with my planning. Also after landing on the interstate and pushing aircraft off to the side. The tanks were confirmed dry but the left gauge still said 1/4 full. It has been an enlightening experience.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL EXHAUSTION -- FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: FUEL STARVATION AND FORCED LNDG RESULTED IN NO DAMAGE OR INJURY. WHILE JUST SW OF RST ON A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 02. MY ENG SUDDENLY LOST PWR. THIS WAS VERY UNEXPECTED BECAUSE OF FLT PLANNING WHICH SHOWED A REQUIREMENT OF 5.2 HRS AT 95 KTS GND SPD TO TRAVEL THE DISTANCE OF 490 NM FROM HKA (BLYTHEVILLE, AR) TO RST WITH A FUEL STOP AT BURLINGTON, IA, (BRL). TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF AT HKA AND ANOTHER 10 GALLONS ADDED AT BRL FOR A TOTAL OF 48 GALLONS USABLE, AND WITH A BURN RATE OF 7.6 GPH SHOULD HAVE LEFT 8.5 GALLONS OF RESERVE FUEL. THE ACTUAL TIME ON THE HOBBS METER WAS 5.5 INSTEAD OF 5.2 WHICH SHOULD HAVE LEFT 6 PLUS GALLONS OF RESERVE. THIS LACK OF SUFFICIENT FUEL WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY SEVERAL VARIABLES, FIRST, WHEN THE ACFT WAS TOPPED OFF, IT WAS PROBABLY SLIGHTLY LESS THAN FULL. ALSO IT HAD BEEN A COUPLE OF LONG DAYS FOR ME AND, BECAUSE OF THE TURB, I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN REALLY ACCURATE WHEN SETTING THE PWR AND/OR MIXTURE CTL. DURING THIS FLT AND PRIOR TO ADDING FUEL AT BRL. I ALSO OBSERVED THE FUEL GAUGES TO HELP MONITOR MY FUEL CONSUMPTION. WHILE TALKING TO RST APCH, I NOTICED MY R FUEL GAUGE SAID ALMOST EMPTY WHILE THE L ONE SAID 3/8 FULL WHICH AGREED WITH MY PLANNING. ALSO AFTER LNDG ON THE INTERSTATE AND PUSHING ACFT OFF TO THE SIDE. THE TANKS WERE CONFIRMED DRY BUT THE L GAUGE STILL SAID 1/4 FULL. IT HAS BEEN AN ENLIGHTENING EXPERIENCE.

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.