Pilot of an small aircraft sel made forced landing after the engine quit due to fuel starvation.

Attributes
ACN	326811
Time
Date	199601
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iib
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tower : rdu
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 48 flight time total : 2260
ASRS Report	326811
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On jan/wed/96, I departed det about XA15Z for my return trip to alo (waterloo, ia). I switched tanks and monitored my fuel qty throughout the flight and saved about 2 gals of fuel in the right tank (about 15 mins of flight time). At about XE35Z, 25 mi east of alo, the left tank went dry and the engine started to quit. I switched tanks and immediately turned towards iib which was about 13 mi away. About 5 mi northeast of iib, the second tank went dry. I reduced my airspeed to 80 KTS for my descent into iib. At about 100 ft about the ground, I reduced my airspeed and used full flaps for my landing. On landing roll, we ran into a fence which stopped our forward motion. I asked my passenger if they had any injuries and they replied they didn't have any. Buchanan county sheriff deputies were on the scene within 5 mins to provide assistance. Factors contributing to this incident were: miscalculating fuel burn rate, improperly leaning out the aircraft, and putting too much trust in the fuel gauge. My suggestion to prevent a recurrence is to: 1) learn how to properly lean an aircraft. 2) set a time limit on how much time I could fly before refueling (example: 4 hours). 3) set a limit of 20 gals of fuel in each tank as a minimum for refueling (example: 5 gals in a 25 gal tank). 4) when reaching 1 hour of fuel left, head towards the nearest airport for refueling.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL MADE FORCED LNDG AFTER THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: ON JAN/WED/96, I DEPARTED DET ABOUT XA15Z FOR MY RETURN TRIP TO ALO (WATERLOO, IA). I SWITCHED TANKS AND MONITORED MY FUEL QTY THROUGHOUT THE FLT AND SAVED ABOUT 2 GALS OF FUEL IN THE R TANK (ABOUT 15 MINS OF FLT TIME). AT ABOUT XE35Z, 25 MI E OF ALO, THE L TANK WENT DRY AND THE ENG STARTED TO QUIT. I SWITCHED TANKS AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED TOWARDS IIB WHICH WAS ABOUT 13 MI AWAY. ABOUT 5 MI NE OF IIB, THE SECOND TANK WENT DRY. I REDUCED MY AIRSPD TO 80 KTS FOR MY DSCNT INTO IIB. AT ABOUT 100 FT ABOUT THE GND, I REDUCED MY AIRSPD AND USED FULL FLAPS FOR MY LNDG. ON LNDG ROLL, WE RAN INTO A FENCE WHICH STOPPED OUR FORWARD MOTION. I ASKED MY PAX IF THEY HAD ANY INJURIES AND THEY REPLIED THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY. BUCHANAN COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTIES WERE ON THE SCENE WITHIN 5 MINS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT WERE: MISCALCULATING FUEL BURN RATE, IMPROPERLY LEANING OUT THE ACFT, AND PUTTING TOO MUCH TRUST IN THE FUEL GAUGE. MY SUGGESTION TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE IS TO: 1) LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY LEAN AN ACFT. 2) SET A TIME LIMIT ON HOW MUCH TIME I COULD FLY BEFORE REFUELING (EXAMPLE: 4 HRS). 3) SET A LIMIT OF 20 GALS OF FUEL IN EACH TANK AS A MINIMUM FOR REFUELING (EXAMPLE: 5 GALS IN A 25 GAL TANK). 4) WHEN REACHING 1 HR OF FUEL LEFT, HEAD TOWARDS THE NEAREST ARPT FOR REFUELING.

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.