Narrative:

I was one of 7 planes that left the airport jun/sun/06 am; approximately XA45 hours. We were traveling to ZZZ1. The lead plane had clearance for all planes and we were flying at staggered altitudes. I was plting my plane; a C150 when I began having problems with both my radios 40 mins into the flight. As I crossed the bay; my right fuel gauge indicated that the tank was almost empty. Both of my fuel tanks were full when I departed. At this point I noticed that fuel was leaking from the left wing vent tube while the left fuel gauge showed no movement. I should have used only 4-5 gals of fuel and did not know what was left in the tanks. The radios were working only sporadically and I made the decision to abort the flight and attempt landing at another airport. The radio problem persisted and I almost had to emergency land without permission; however I did get to ZZZ2 when I was to the right of runway 20. I had used 11.7 gals of fuel instead of the 4-5 that should have been consumed indicating a leak/loss of almost 12 gals. When I left ZZZ; I turned my radios to XXX but never had any contact from them; needless to say; this was a very; very stressful situation for me and my only thought was to get back to the airport as expeditiously as possible. I realize that I went through some airspaces without permission; but that was due to the lack of radio contact. Watching my gauges; the leaking fuel and useless radios was a harrowing experience; I felt only a great need to get back to my home port as soon as possible. I sincerely apologize for going through airspace without permission; my only thoughts were of my personal safety and that of my plane. In retrospect; I should have turned around and aborted the flight when I discovered problems with the radios. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the diversion station tower was contacted when in close to the runway. Tower was contacted on the ground and the airplane situation was explained. After fueling all the reporter wanted to do was get the airplane home and this was accomplished. Maintenance checked the airplane and could not duplicate the left wing vent leak but the left wing fuel quantity indicator was found failed. The radio problem was repaired as loose wiring was discovered.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C150 IN CRUISE DECLARED EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO RADIO COM PROBS; L FUEL TANK VENT LEAKING AND R TANK INDICATING EMPTY.

Narrative: I WAS ONE OF 7 PLANES THAT LEFT THE ARPT JUN/SUN/06 AM; APPROX XA45 HRS. WE WERE TRAVELING TO ZZZ1. THE LEAD PLANE HAD CLRNC FOR ALL PLANES AND WE WERE FLYING AT STAGGERED ALTS. I WAS PLTING MY PLANE; A C150 WHEN I BEGAN HAVING PROBS WITH BOTH MY RADIOS 40 MINS INTO THE FLT. AS I CROSSED THE BAY; MY R FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE TANK WAS ALMOST EMPTY. BOTH OF MY FUEL TANKS WERE FULL WHEN I DEPARTED. AT THIS POINT I NOTICED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE L WING VENT TUBE WHILE THE L FUEL GAUGE SHOWED NO MOVEMENT. I SHOULD HAVE USED ONLY 4-5 GALS OF FUEL AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS LEFT IN THE TANKS. THE RADIOS WERE WORKING ONLY SPORADICALLY AND I MADE THE DECISION TO ABORT THE FLT AND ATTEMPT LNDG AT ANOTHER ARPT. THE RADIO PROB PERSISTED AND I ALMOST HAD TO EMER LAND WITHOUT PERMISSION; HOWEVER I DID GET TO ZZZ2 WHEN I WAS TO THE R OF RWY 20. I HAD USED 11.7 GALS OF FUEL INSTEAD OF THE 4-5 THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSUMED INDICATING A LEAK/LOSS OF ALMOST 12 GALS. WHEN I LEFT ZZZ; I TURNED MY RADIOS TO XXX BUT NEVER HAD ANY CONTACT FROM THEM; NEEDLESS TO SAY; THIS WAS A VERY; VERY STRESSFUL SITUATION FOR ME AND MY ONLY THOUGHT WAS TO GET BACK TO THE ARPT AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE. I REALIZE THAT I WENT THROUGH SOME AIRSPACES WITHOUT PERMISSION; BUT THAT WAS DUE TO THE LACK OF RADIO CONTACT. WATCHING MY GAUGES; THE LEAKING FUEL AND USELESS RADIOS WAS A HARROWING EXPERIENCE; I FELT ONLY A GREAT NEED TO GET BACK TO MY HOME PORT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR GOING THROUGH AIRSPACE WITHOUT PERMISSION; MY ONLY THOUGHTS WERE OF MY PERSONAL SAFETY AND THAT OF MY PLANE. IN RETROSPECT; I SHOULD HAVE TURNED AROUND AND ABORTED THE FLT WHEN I DISCOVERED PROBS WITH THE RADIOS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE DIVERSION STATION TWR WAS CONTACTED WHEN IN CLOSE TO THE RWY. TWR WAS CONTACTED ON THE GND AND THE AIRPLANE SITUATION WAS EXPLAINED. AFTER FUELING ALL THE RPTR WANTED TO DO WAS GET THE AIRPLANE HOME AND THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED. MAINT CHKED THE AIRPLANE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE L WING VENT LEAK BUT THE L WING FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR WAS FOUND FAILED. THE RADIO PROB WAS REPAIRED AS LOOSE WIRING WAS DISCOVERED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.