Narrative:

Poor maintenance, on 3 occasions I was told my aircraft had been 'ready' (maintenance facility X had done extensive work on the fuel system) all 3 times I started the engines, fuel came pouring out of the left wing. The fourth time, the owner of the maintenance facility, mr X and I, test flew the aircraft 2 times around the pattern. At no time thereafter were the inspection plates/cowling removed and inspected for fuel leaks. I then was told by mr X that it would be ok to take a flight with friend/students. The flight was short (.8 hours). I saw no apparent problems. The next day while on a cross country trip, I suspected fuel loss at an unusual rate. I immediately began a descent from 10500 ft during this time navigation/communications were lost. Fuel continued to deplete rapidly. I decided to land the aircraft at the closest airport. At this point we had 2 hours of fuel on board. (At the time of departure we had 5 hours on board -- our trip should have taken 3.5 hours). At approximately 2500 ft our gauges showed 25 mins on board. I then decided to put the aircraft down on a public road. I found a road and began a prelndg check. The landing gear failed to come down. I decided to make a gear up landing, rather than go around with little fuel. My objective was to preserve my life and that of my passenger. My concerns also included risk of life and property on the public roadway I chose to land on. Perhaps if I had 'gone around' in an attempt to crank the gear down, (fuel permitting) the roadway may not have been vacant.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA TWIN MADE A PRECAUTIONARY OFF ARPT LNDG ON A HIGHWAY AFTER RAPID LOSS OF FUEL AVAILABLE. ELECTRICAL SYS ALSO FAILED RESULTING IN A GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative: POOR MAINT, ON 3 OCCASIONS I WAS TOLD MY ACFT HAD BEEN 'READY' (MAINT FACILITY X HAD DONE EXTENSIVE WORK ON THE FUEL SYS) ALL 3 TIMES I STARTED THE ENGS, FUEL CAME POURING OUT OF THE L WING. THE FOURTH TIME, THE OWNER OF THE MAINT FACILITY, MR X AND I, TEST FLEW THE ACFT 2 TIMES AROUND THE PATTERN. AT NO TIME THEREAFTER WERE THE INSPECTION PLATES/COWLING REMOVED AND INSPECTED FOR FUEL LEAKS. I THEN WAS TOLD BY MR X THAT IT WOULD BE OK TO TAKE A FLT WITH FRIEND/STUDENTS. THE FLT WAS SHORT (.8 HRS). I SAW NO APPARENT PROBS. THE NEXT DAY WHILE ON A XCOUNTRY TRIP, I SUSPECTED FUEL LOSS AT AN UNUSUAL RATE. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A DSCNT FROM 10500 FT DURING THIS TIME NAV/COMS WERE LOST. FUEL CONTINUED TO DEPLETE RAPIDLY. I DECIDED TO LAND THE ACFT AT THE CLOSEST ARPT. AT THIS POINT WE HAD 2 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD. (AT THE TIME OF DEP WE HAD 5 HRS ON BOARD -- OUR TRIP SHOULD HAVE TAKEN 3.5 HRS). AT APPROX 2500 FT OUR GAUGES SHOWED 25 MINS ON BOARD. I THEN DECIDED TO PUT THE ACFT DOWN ON A PUBLIC ROAD. I FOUND A ROAD AND BEGAN A PRELNDG CHK. THE LNDG GEAR FAILED TO COME DOWN. I DECIDED TO MAKE A GEAR UP LNDG, RATHER THAN GAR WITH LITTLE FUEL. MY OBJECTIVE WAS TO PRESERVE MY LIFE AND THAT OF MY PAX. MY CONCERNS ALSO INCLUDED RISK OF LIFE AND PROPERTY ON THE PUBLIC ROADWAY I CHOSE TO LAND ON. PERHAPS IF I HAD 'GONE AROUND' IN AN ATTEMPT TO CRANK THE GEAR DOWN, (FUEL PERMITTING) THE ROADWAY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN VACANT.

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.