Aircraft out of fuel -- forced landing with damage.

Attributes
ACN	320154
Time
Date	199510
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dbq
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dbq
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 70 flight time type : 63
ASRS Report	320154
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	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Normal preflight and walkaround inspection. VFR night flight no visual fuel inspection. I determined that I had 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours of flying time by the fuel gauges. Planned a flight to Y01 (waukon) 60 mi in distance one way. The flight was planned for 1 hour 45 mins. I landed at Y01 after 45 mins of flight, did not refuel. From Y01 I took off with 2 hours of fuel on board for return to dbq. 10 mi from dbq I called tower for clearance. Dbq tower gave clearance and wanted a 3 mi report. Upon reaching 7-8 mi from the airport the airplane began to sputter. I then checked all of my gauges to try to determine the problem. I did not find the problem with my gauges. My fuel gauge still read 1 1/2 hours of fuel. I then made another contact with dbq tower. I told them that I would have to make a forced landing. At this time I had no power. I established my best glide speed and continued looking for a problem. At 1600 ft I established an open area to land. As I approached the landing area I noticed it was cluttered with trees. I then made a 180 degree turn to an alternate landing spot. I was too low to finish my turn and tried to level the plane off. Seconds before I touched down stall horn came on and I landed on the left wheel and nosewheel. The nosewheel collapsed and I skidded to a stop. I then contacted dbq tower again and told them I was down safe and gave them the location. As far as what I believe caused the problem, was my trust in the fuel gauges. Since I could not see to visually check the fuel I should have had the plane filled. By filling the plane I know I would have had plenty of fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT OUT OF FUEL -- FORCED LNDG WITH DAMAGE.

Narrative: NORMAL PREFLT AND WALKAROUND INSPECTION. VFR NIGHT FLT NO VISUAL FUEL INSPECTION. I DETERMINED THAT I HAD 2 1/2 TO 2 3/4 HRS OF FLYING TIME BY THE FUEL GAUGES. PLANNED A FLT TO Y01 (WAUKON) 60 MI IN DISTANCE ONE WAY. THE FLT WAS PLANNED FOR 1 HR 45 MINS. I LANDED AT Y01 AFTER 45 MINS OF FLT, DID NOT REFUEL. FROM Y01 I TOOK OFF WITH 2 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD FOR RETURN TO DBQ. 10 MI FROM DBQ I CALLED TWR FOR CLRNC. DBQ TWR GAVE CLRNC AND WANTED A 3 MI RPT. UPON REACHING 7-8 MI FROM THE ARPT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. I THEN CHKED ALL OF MY GAUGES TO TRY TO DETERMINE THE PROB. I DID NOT FIND THE PROB WITH MY GAUGES. MY FUEL GAUGE STILL READ 1 1/2 HRS OF FUEL. I THEN MADE ANOTHER CONTACT WITH DBQ TWR. I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A FORCED LNDG. AT THIS TIME I HAD NO PWR. I ESTABLISHED MY BEST GLIDE SPD AND CONTINUED LOOKING FOR A PROB. AT 1600 FT I ESTABLISHED AN OPEN AREA TO LAND. AS I APCHED THE LNDG AREA I NOTICED IT WAS CLUTTERED WITH TREES. I THEN MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO AN ALTERNATE LNDG SPOT. I WAS TOO LOW TO FINISH MY TURN AND TRIED TO LEVEL THE PLANE OFF. SECONDS BEFORE I TOUCHED DOWN STALL HORN CAME ON AND I LANDED ON THE L WHEEL AND NOSEWHEEL. THE NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSED AND I SKIDDED TO A STOP. I THEN CONTACTED DBQ TWR AGAIN AND TOLD THEM I WAS DOWN SAFE AND GAVE THEM THE LOCATION. AS FAR AS WHAT I BELIEVE CAUSED THE PROB, WAS MY TRUST IN THE FUEL GAUGES. SINCE I COULD NOT SEE TO VISUALLY CHK THE FUEL I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE PLANE FILLED. BY FILLING THE PLANE I KNOW I WOULD HAVE HAD PLENTY OF FUEL.

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.