Pilot of small aircraft makes off airport landing when fuel is exhausted. FAA and police inspect the...

Attributes
ACN	403400
Time
Date	199805
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mgy
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 132 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	403400
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a flight that started at iln direct I76 and back from I76, I noticed that the left fuel tank was going down faster than the right. I switched to the right and the aircraft started to cut out after a couple of mins. The right tank read 1/4+. I then switched to the 'both' position and the airplane cut out again after a couple of mins. I proceeded to find a field to land in and made an uneventful landing. The engine quit just before I touched down. A complete preflight was done at iln and having made this trip several times, I have never had a lack of fuel problem. Topping off the tanks will be a common practice at all stops from now on. There was no damage to the aircraft or the field. The plane was flown out the next day since it was dark by the time the police and FAA released me to take off. We brought fuel out the next day and took off from the field with no problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA MAKES OFF ARPT LNDG WHEN FUEL IS EXHAUSTED. FAA AND POLICE INSPECT THE SIT AND RELEASE HIM FOR TKOF WITH ADDED FUEL.

Narrative: ON A FLT THAT STARTED AT ILN DIRECT I76 AND BACK FROM I76, I NOTICED THAT THE L FUEL TANK WAS GOING DOWN FASTER THAN THE R. I SWITCHED TO THE R AND THE ACFT STARTED TO CUT OUT AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS. THE R TANK READ 1/4+. I THEN SWITCHED TO THE 'BOTH' POS AND THE AIRPLANE CUT OUT AGAIN AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS. I PROCEEDED TO FIND A FIELD TO LAND IN AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. THE ENG QUIT JUST BEFORE I TOUCHED DOWN. A COMPLETE PREFLT WAS DONE AT ILN AND HAVING MADE THIS TRIP SEVERAL TIMES, I HAVE NEVER HAD A LACK OF FUEL PROB. TOPPING OFF THE TANKS WILL BE A COMMON PRACTICE AT ALL STOPS FROM NOW ON. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR THE FIELD. THE PLANE WAS FLOWN OUT THE NEXT DAY SINCE IT WAS DARK BY THE TIME THE POLICE AND FAA RELEASED ME TO TAKE OFF. WE BROUGHT FUEL OUT THE NEXT DAY AND TOOK OFF FROM THE FIELD WITH NO PROBS.

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.

Pilot of small aircraft makes off airport landing when fuel is exhausted. FAA and police inspect the situation and release him for takeoff with added fuel.