Narrative:

Flew to mkt with mechanic to pick up my airplane, which had just had the engine overhauled. This was a break-in/ferry flight to bring the aircraft back to the home field, noah's ark, 06MO near kansas city, mo, a distance of 302 NM. The fuel tanks had been filled with 33 gals of fuel the previous thursday, and on this day I had them top the tanks to make sure they were full. An additional 2.6 gals were put in the tanks. During preflight, the tanks were visually checked and the fuel was slightly up the fillers. The aircraft has two tanks of 18 gals each for a total of 36 gals, 35 were usable. After 1 hour of flight, the power was reduced from 75% to 65% per the break-in instructions and the fuel quantities checked. The right tank indicated empty. At approximately 2 hours and 15 mins the left fuel gauge was showing 1/4 full and the decision was made to divert to st. Joseph, mo, a distance of 30 NM. At 10 mi stj tower was contacted and they advised to report on 3 mi final for runway 17. Descended from cruise altitude of 4500 ft to pattern altitude and entered a left base. Just before turning final, the engine started to sputter and on final died. Landed the aircraft 2 mi short of runway 17 in a plowed field. The aircraft was moved to a farmers access road, checked by a local mechanic, 5.6 gals of fuel put in the left tank and after run up, the mechanic approved taking off down the dirt road. The aircraft was flown to the airport, stj. There was no damage to the aircraft other than a 1 inch crack in the left fiberglass wheel pant. There was no indication of fuel leakage anywhere on the aircraft. The normal fuel burn prior to the overhaul was 7.5-8.5 gph, possibly 9 if not leaned for cruise, providing a duration of approximately 4 hours. At approximately 2 hours 30 mins on this flight the fuel was exhausted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CITABRIA PLT HAS FUEL STARVATION AND LANDS SHORT OF THE RWY AT STJ.

Narrative: FLEW TO MKT WITH MECH TO PICK UP MY AIRPLANE, WHICH HAD JUST HAD THE ENG OVERHAULED. THIS WAS A BREAK-IN/FERRY FLT TO BRING THE ACFT BACK TO THE HOME FIELD, NOAH'S ARK, 06MO NEAR KANSAS CITY, MO, A DISTANCE OF 302 NM. THE FUEL TANKS HAD BEEN FILLED WITH 33 GALS OF FUEL THE PREVIOUS THURSDAY, AND ON THIS DAY I HAD THEM TOP THE TANKS TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE FULL. AN ADDITIONAL 2.6 GALS WERE PUT IN THE TANKS. DURING PREFLT, THE TANKS WERE VISUALLY CHKED AND THE FUEL WAS SLIGHTLY UP THE FILLERS. THE ACFT HAS TWO TANKS OF 18 GALS EACH FOR A TOTAL OF 36 GALS, 35 WERE USABLE. AFTER 1 HR OF FLT, THE PWR WAS REDUCED FROM 75% TO 65% PER THE BREAK-IN INSTRUCTIONS AND THE FUEL QUANTITIES CHKED. THE R TANK INDICATED EMPTY. AT APPROX 2 HRS AND 15 MINS THE L FUEL GAUGE WAS SHOWING 1/4 FULL AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DIVERT TO ST. JOSEPH, MO, A DISTANCE OF 30 NM. AT 10 MI STJ TWR WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED TO RPT ON 3 MI FINAL FOR RWY 17. DSNDED FROM CRUISE ALT OF 4500 FT TO PATTERN ALT AND ENTERED A L BASE. JUST BEFORE TURNING FINAL, THE ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER AND ON FINAL DIED. LANDED THE ACFT 2 MI SHORT OF RWY 17 IN A PLOWED FIELD. THE ACFT WAS MOVED TO A FARMERS ACCESS ROAD, CHKED BY A LCL MECH, 5.6 GALS OF FUEL PUT IN THE L TANK AND AFTER RUN UP, THE MECH APPROVED TAKING OFF DOWN THE DIRT ROAD. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN TO THE ARPT, STJ. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OTHER THAN A 1 INCH CRACK IN THE L FIBERGLASS WHEEL PANT. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FUEL LEAKAGE ANYWHERE ON THE ACFT. THE NORMAL FUEL BURN PRIOR TO THE OVERHAUL WAS 7.5-8.5 GPH, POSSIBLY 9 IF NOT LEANED FOR CRUISE, PROVIDING A DURATION OF APPROX 4 HRS. AT APPROX 2 HRS 30 MINS ON THIS FLT THE FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED.

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.