Narrative:

On apr/tue/02, approximately XA20, I departed mtn direct esn for a pleasure flight to check a GPS moving map we recently had svced the prior day, along with a flight instructor and 1 other passenger. The winds were 340 degrees, winds 12 KTS gusting to 15 KTS, visibility 10 mi. Sky was clear. After landing at esn, we taxied to runway 33 and departed back to mtn. Before takeoff, we visually noted we had 13 gallons in the left wing and 15 gallons in the right wing according to the fuel gauges. I switched to the right fuel tank for the return flight to mtn, which was 35 NM, approximately 22 mins from our flight home in approach rock hall, md, approximately 12 NM southeast from mtn. After obtaining the ATIS, I noticed a sputter from the engine. I quickly noted the right fuel was reading empty, so I switched to the left fuel, which stopped the sputtering. At that time I decided to not continue to cross the chesapeake bay towards mtn. I diverted to ridgley airport to refuel, which was approximately 10 NM east of where I was. Within 1-2 mins, I experienced the sputter sound and I decided to not continue with the flight. I was not sure what this sound was, so I briefed my passenger that we needed to do a precautionary landing to find out what the noise was. I located a field and safely landed. After visually checking the wings for fuel I noted the left wing was very low to empty and the right wing had approximately 2 1/2 inches of fuel. I called for fuel, after obtaining 30 additional gallons of fuel, I decided to do my routine run-up and proceeded with a soft field and short field takeoff. We continued to mtn and returned safely. No other problems were noted after maintenance shop examined the aircraft. I believe that due to the strong headwinds our fuel burn was much greater and the fuel gauges may be slightly off.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C206 PLT, UPON RUNNING 1 FUEL TANK EMPTY, CONTINUED THE FLT USING FUEL FROM THE ONE AND ONLY REMAINING TANK UNTIL THE ENG 'SPUTTERED,' LEAVING SPECULATION THAT THIS TANK WAS ALSO EMPTY. AN OFF ARPT LNDG WAS THE RESULT.

Narrative: ON APR/TUE/02, APPROX XA20, I DEPARTED MTN DIRECT ESN FOR A PLEASURE FLT TO CHK A GPS MOVING MAP WE RECENTLY HAD SVCED THE PRIOR DAY, ALONG WITH A FLT INSTRUCTOR AND 1 OTHER PAX. THE WINDS WERE 340 DEGS, WINDS 12 KTS GUSTING TO 15 KTS, VISIBILITY 10 MI. SKY WAS CLR. AFTER LNDG AT ESN, WE TAXIED TO RWY 33 AND DEPARTED BACK TO MTN. BEFORE TKOF, WE VISUALLY NOTED WE HAD 13 GALLONS IN THE L WING AND 15 GALLONS IN THE R WING ACCORDING TO THE FUEL GAUGES. I SWITCHED TO THE R FUEL TANK FOR THE RETURN FLT TO MTN, WHICH WAS 35 NM, APPROX 22 MINS FROM OUR FLT HOME IN APCH ROCK HALL, MD, APPROX 12 NM SE FROM MTN. AFTER OBTAINING THE ATIS, I NOTICED A SPUTTER FROM THE ENG. I QUICKLY NOTED THE R FUEL WAS READING EMPTY, SO I SWITCHED TO THE L FUEL, WHICH STOPPED THE SPUTTERING. AT THAT TIME I DECIDED TO NOT CONTINUE TO CROSS THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TOWARDS MTN. I DIVERTED TO RIDGLEY ARPT TO REFUEL, WHICH WAS APPROX 10 NM E OF WHERE I WAS. WITHIN 1-2 MINS, I EXPERIENCED THE SPUTTER SOUND AND I DECIDED TO NOT CONTINUE WITH THE FLT. I WAS NOT SURE WHAT THIS SOUND WAS, SO I BRIEFED MY PAX THAT WE NEEDED TO DO A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG TO FIND OUT WHAT THE NOISE WAS. I LOCATED A FIELD AND SAFELY LANDED. AFTER VISUALLY CHKING THE WINGS FOR FUEL I NOTED THE L WING WAS VERY LOW TO EMPTY AND THE R WING HAD APPROX 2 1/2 INCHES OF FUEL. I CALLED FOR FUEL, AFTER OBTAINING 30 ADDITIONAL GALLONS OF FUEL, I DECIDED TO DO MY ROUTINE RUN-UP AND PROCEEDED WITH A SOFT FIELD AND SHORT FIELD TKOF. WE CONTINUED TO MTN AND RETURNED SAFELY. NO OTHER PROBS WERE NOTED AFTER MAINT SHOP EXAMINED THE ACFT. I BELIEVE THAT DUE TO THE STRONG HEADWINDS OUR FUEL BURN WAS MUCH GREATER AND THE FUEL GAUGES MAY BE SLIGHTLY OFF.

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.