Narrative:

The problem was a complete loss of power. No indication of imminent power loss existed. Fuel selector was changed to different tank, and boost pump turned on. Power did not return. Fuel flow computer total indicated 12 gallons remaining. Fuel tank indicator was fluctuating approximately around 5-10 gallons. Aircraft was landed successfully on a county road. Aircraft was inspected by certified ia mechanic, and found to be airworthy. Several 5 gallon containers were used to refuel with 100LL aviation gas. Engine run-ups and checks were performed and were found to be within limits. Aircraft had no indication of fuel leaks. We had brought fuel tank level to 'full' at shreveport, la (approximately 40 gallons). A flight crew was made to winnsboro, la, which took 40 mins. A calculated burn of 6 gallons compared closely to fuel flow computer. The aircraft sat overnight, and next morning we inspected it. Visual inspection in the fuel tank was made, but it is nearly impossible to determine actual fuel quantity in tank by this means. The flight crew to tallahassee was planned as 2 hours 30 mins ete, and a fuel burn of 19 gallons. This leaves 40 gallons -- (6+19)= 15 gallons of reserve at tallahassee. The only possible explanations for fuel starvation are: 1) the tank was not full at tlh (we supervised fueling, so this seems unlikely). 2) fuel ported out of aircraft during flight crew (no stains found). 3) partial fuel stolen from aircraft at winnsboro, la. A preventative/corrective action will be to remove fuel tank float sensor and install vision microsys capacity of low tank levels, as it cannot be done visually. Float senders are dangerous.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA HOMEBUILT ACFT LANDED OFF ARPT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: THE PROB WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF PWR. NO INDICATION OF IMMINENT PWR LOSS EXISTED. FUEL SELECTOR WAS CHANGED TO DIFFERENT TANK, AND BOOST PUMP TURNED ON. PWR DID NOT RETURN. FUEL FLOW COMPUTER TOTAL INDICATED 12 GALLONS REMAINING. FUEL TANK INDICATOR WAS FLUCTUATING APPROX AROUND 5-10 GALLONS. ACFT WAS LANDED SUCCESSFULLY ON A COUNTY ROAD. ACFT WAS INSPECTED BY CERTIFIED IA MECH, AND FOUND TO BE AIRWORTHY. SEVERAL 5 GALLON CONTAINERS WERE USED TO REFUEL WITH 100LL AVIATION GAS. ENG RUN-UPS AND CHKS WERE PERFORMED AND WERE FOUND TO BE WITHIN LIMITS. ACFT HAD NO INDICATION OF FUEL LEAKS. WE HAD BROUGHT FUEL TANK LEVEL TO 'FULL' AT SHREVEPORT, LA (APPROX 40 GALLONS). A FLT CREW WAS MADE TO WINNSBORO, LA, WHICH TOOK 40 MINS. A CALCULATED BURN OF 6 GALLONS COMPARED CLOSELY TO FUEL FLOW COMPUTER. THE ACFT SAT OVERNIGHT, AND NEXT MORNING WE INSPECTED IT. VISUAL INSPECTION IN THE FUEL TANK WAS MADE, BUT IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE ACTUAL FUEL QUANTITY IN TANK BY THIS MEANS. THE FLT CREW TO TALLAHASSEE WAS PLANNED AS 2 HRS 30 MINS ETE, AND A FUEL BURN OF 19 GALLONS. THIS LEAVES 40 GALLONS -- (6+19)= 15 GALLONS OF RESERVE AT TALLAHASSEE. THE ONLY POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR FUEL STARVATION ARE: 1) THE TANK WAS NOT FULL AT TLH (WE SUPERVISED FUELING, SO THIS SEEMS UNLIKELY). 2) FUEL PORTED OUT OF ACFT DURING FLT CREW (NO STAINS FOUND). 3) PARTIAL FUEL STOLEN FROM ACFT AT WINNSBORO, LA. A PREVENTATIVE/CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL BE TO REMOVE FUEL TANK FLOAT SENSOR AND INSTALL VISION MICROSYS CAPACITY OF LOW TANK LEVELS, AS IT CANNOT BE DONE VISUALLY. FLOAT SENDERS ARE DANGEROUS.

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.