C210 pilot designated examiner lands off airport. 50 percent of available fuel was not made available to the engine and an engine out approach was made resulting in aircraft damage.

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Attributes
ACN	464111
Time
Date	200002
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	WY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cpr.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	464111
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Cruising at 8500 ft between gillette, wy, and casper, wy, I allowed the engine to be starved of fuel by running the left tank dry. There was ample fuel in the right tank. Complacency was the main reason for the problem although the left fuel gauge was found to be inoperative. I failed to keep track of the fuel consumption on the left side. While troubleshooting the problem I was having a difficult time finding a suitable landing off-field. This kept me from doing a thorough emergency checklist. I did not switch tanks as is called for in the pilot operating handbook, in the event of engine power failure in-flight. Further, I now feel that if I had spent more time troubleshooting and less time trying to let the approach controller know I was having a problem, that it would have not been an issue. If I had first gone to the checklist there would have been no incident. Upon landing I was trying to avoid power lines and land on a curvy road. The landing I chose was not long enough, so while trying to make the 45 degree turn at the end of the rollout, I left the road and hit the ditch on the side. The propeller was damaged along with the right wingtip. (Classic: 'it can't happen to me.')

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PLT DESIGNATED EXAMINER LANDS OFF ARPT. 50 PERCENT OF AVAILABLE FUEL WAS NOT MADE AVAILABLE TO THE ENG AND AN ENG OUT APCH WAS MADE RESULTING IN ACFT DAMAGE.

Narrative: CRUISING AT 8500 FT BTWN GILLETTE, WY, AND CASPER, WY, I ALLOWED THE ENG TO BE STARVED OF FUEL BY RUNNING THE L TANK DRY. THERE WAS AMPLE FUEL IN THE R TANK. COMPLACENCY WAS THE MAIN REASON FOR THE PROB ALTHOUGH THE L FUEL GAUGE WAS FOUND TO BE INOP. I FAILED TO KEEP TRACK OF THE FUEL CONSUMPTION ON THE L SIDE. WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROB I WAS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME FINDING A SUITABLE LNDG OFF-FIELD. THIS KEPT ME FROM DOING A THOROUGH EMER CHKLIST. I DID NOT SWITCH TANKS AS IS CALLED FOR IN THE PLT OPERATING HANDBOOK, IN THE EVENT OF ENG PWR FAILURE INFLT. FURTHER, I NOW FEEL THAT IF I HAD SPENT MORE TIME TROUBLESHOOTING AND LESS TIME TRYING TO LET THE APCH CTLR KNOW I WAS HAVING A PROB, THAT IT WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN AN ISSUE. IF I HAD FIRST GONE TO THE CHKLIST THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENT. UPON LNDG I WAS TRYING TO AVOID PWR LINES AND LAND ON A CURVY ROAD. THE LNDG I CHOSE WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH, SO WHILE TRYING TO MAKE THE 45 DEG TURN AT THE END OF THE ROLLOUT, I LEFT THE ROAD AND HIT THE DITCH ON THE SIDE. THE PROP WAS DAMAGED ALONG WITH THE R WINGTIP. (CLASSIC: 'IT CAN'T HAPPEN TO ME.')

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.