Narrative:

Operating on right tank only as left tank showed evidence of leakage (ie, fuel stains down side of fuselage). Had been aware of higher than normal fuel usage (15 gph when 11.5 to 12 would be normal). Put 40 gallons in right tank (actually 38.5) just before departure. Was startled it took so much as had operated only 1 hour 55 mins since last tank refill 5 days previously. Also noticed right tank was now dripping. Took off from 2ID for cwi. 1 hour 20 mins later when 12 mi south of dbq, engine started surging then quit and ran intermittently for a short time then quit altogether. Meanwhile, started a 180 degree turn and called dbq tower that I was returning to land at dbq. Soon saw could not make it to dbq, but spotted a private grass strip that looked like a cinch to get into. Notified tower of intentions. Strip was freedom airport, lamotte, ia. Set up to turn base and final at strip then it became evident that rate of descent with windmilling propeller was making that impossible. Aimed for a spot approximately 1/4 the way down strip and continued a 90 degree base. Turned final in a 90 degree bank with lots of elevator and rapidly started a rollout just before I would have stuck the wingtip in the ground and cartwheeled. Touched down very, very hard on right main and nosewheel at approximately 30 degrees off runway heading and bounced maybe 40 ft or more into the air. Got the aircraft aligned with runway heading but touched down on fence and in corn field. Rapid deceleration in corn and aircraft tail rose higher and higher. Finally stood on nose and eased over on back. No major damage aircraft able to ferry. Checked logs, last annual aug/xx/96. Should have taken much more serious attitude regarding excessive fuel usage and visible leakage. Factor: very much needed to get to cwi as soon as possible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA HAS FUEL LEAKAGE INDICATIONS ON SIDE OF FUSELAGE FROM 1 TANK. THIS TANK IS NOT USED BUT SECOND TANK BEGINS LEAKING ALSO. EMER LNDG NECESSARY AT GRASS STRIP NOTED INFLT. RAPID DSCNT RATE, STEEP TURNS WITH RESULTING LOSS OF CTL.

Narrative: OPERATING ON R TANK ONLY AS L TANK SHOWED EVIDENCE OF LEAKAGE (IE, FUEL STAINS DOWN SIDE OF FUSELAGE). HAD BEEN AWARE OF HIGHER THAN NORMAL FUEL USAGE (15 GPH WHEN 11.5 TO 12 WOULD BE NORMAL). PUT 40 GALLONS IN R TANK (ACTUALLY 38.5) JUST BEFORE DEP. WAS STARTLED IT TOOK SO MUCH AS HAD OPERATED ONLY 1 HR 55 MINS SINCE LAST TANK REFILL 5 DAYS PREVIOUSLY. ALSO NOTICED R TANK WAS NOW DRIPPING. TOOK OFF FROM 2ID FOR CWI. 1 HR 20 MINS LATER WHEN 12 MI S OF DBQ, ENG STARTED SURGING THEN QUIT AND RAN INTERMITTENTLY FOR A SHORT TIME THEN QUIT ALTOGETHER. MEANWHILE, STARTED A 180 DEG TURN AND CALLED DBQ TWR THAT I WAS RETURNING TO LAND AT DBQ. SOON SAW COULD NOT MAKE IT TO DBQ, BUT SPOTTED A PVT GRASS STRIP THAT LOOKED LIKE A CINCH TO GET INTO. NOTIFIED TWR OF INTENTIONS. STRIP WAS FREEDOM ARPT, LAMOTTE, IA. SET UP TO TURN BASE AND FINAL AT STRIP THEN IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT RATE OF DSCNT WITH WINDMILLING PROP WAS MAKING THAT IMPOSSIBLE. AIMED FOR A SPOT APPROX 1/4 THE WAY DOWN STRIP AND CONTINUED A 90 DEG BASE. TURNED FINAL IN A 90 DEG BANK WITH LOTS OF ELEVATOR AND RAPIDLY STARTED A ROLLOUT JUST BEFORE I WOULD HAVE STUCK THE WINGTIP IN THE GND AND CARTWHEELED. TOUCHED DOWN VERY, VERY HARD ON R MAIN AND NOSEWHEEL AT APPROX 30 DEGS OFF RWY HDG AND BOUNCED MAYBE 40 FT OR MORE INTO THE AIR. GOT THE ACFT ALIGNED WITH RWY HDG BUT TOUCHED DOWN ON FENCE AND IN CORN FIELD. RAPID DECELERATION IN CORN AND ACFT TAIL ROSE HIGHER AND HIGHER. FINALLY STOOD ON NOSE AND EASED OVER ON BACK. NO MAJOR DAMAGE ACFT ABLE TO FERRY. CHKED LOGS, LAST ANNUAL AUG/XX/96. SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS ATTITUDE REGARDING EXCESSIVE FUEL USAGE AND VISIBLE LEAKAGE. FACTOR: VERY MUCH NEEDED TO GET TO CWI ASAP.

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.