C172 pilot has engine failure and performs an off field landing.

Attributes
ACN	702877
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hxd.airport
State Reference	SC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : nbc.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 415
ASRS Report	702877
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

En route to hilton head; noticed that the right tank fuel gauge showed 1/2 tank and the left gauge approximately 1/6 tank. It is important to note here that the fuel level had never dropped below 1/2 tank since the purchase of the aircraft so the accuracy of the fuel gauges was never in question. He turned the fuel selector valve to right tank only to equalize the tanks. At approximately XA10 the engine quit. He immediately turned the selector valve to both tanks and the engine restarted. Calculated that there was sufficient fuel in the left tank; if the tanks were balanced; to get to destination. Asked beaufort marine approach if he could land at the maac if needed and was told that he could. He proceeded on course since there was only 10 mi to go and the engine failed 8 mi short of hxd. He told beaufort approach that the engine failed and they said the beaufort was 7 mi; maac was 8 mi and hxd was 8 mi. Headed towards (beaufort county) now at 3500 ft; knowing that he could not make it. The area below was heavily treed and densely populated and he determined that the safest landing was the RAIL yard at port royal port authority/authorized. He cleared the trees and put in full flaps for a soft field landing and touched down with the left main gear next to a railroad track. The plane continued for approximately 200 ft when the left main gear wedged into the track; forcing the nose gear to the left into the track. The nose gear collapsed and the right wingtip hit the ground. The plane came to an immediate stop. There were no injuries and no property damage other than that suffered by the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT HAS ENG FAILURE AND PERFORMS AN OFF FIELD LNDG.

Narrative: ENRTE TO HILTON HEAD; NOTICED THAT THE R TANK FUEL GAUGE SHOWED 1/2 TANK AND THE L GAUGE APPROX 1/6 TANK. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE THAT THE FUEL LEVEL HAD NEVER DROPPED BELOW 1/2 TANK SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE ACFT SO THE ACCURACY OF THE FUEL GAUGES WAS NEVER IN QUESTION. HE TURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO R TANK ONLY TO EQUALIZE THE TANKS. AT APPROX XA10 THE ENG QUIT. HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE SELECTOR VALVE TO BOTH TANKS AND THE ENG RESTARTED. CALCULATED THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL IN THE L TANK; IF THE TANKS WERE BALANCED; TO GET TO DEST. ASKED BEAUFORT MARINE APCH IF HE COULD LAND AT THE MAAC IF NEEDED AND WAS TOLD THAT HE COULD. HE PROCEEDED ON COURSE SINCE THERE WAS ONLY 10 MI TO GO AND THE ENG FAILED 8 MI SHORT OF HXD. HE TOLD BEAUFORT APCH THAT THE ENG FAILED AND THEY SAID THE BEAUFORT WAS 7 MI; MAAC WAS 8 MI AND HXD WAS 8 MI. HEADED TOWARDS (BEAUFORT COUNTY) NOW AT 3500 FT; KNOWING THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE IT. THE AREA BELOW WAS HEAVILY TREED AND DENSELY POPULATED AND HE DETERMINED THAT THE SAFEST LNDG WAS THE RAIL YARD AT PORT ROYAL PORT AUTH. HE CLRED THE TREES AND PUT IN FULL FLAPS FOR A SOFT FIELD LNDG AND TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE L MAIN GEAR NEXT TO A RAILROAD TRACK. THE PLANE CONTINUED FOR APPROX 200 FT WHEN THE L MAIN GEAR WEDGED INTO THE TRACK; FORCING THE NOSE GEAR TO THE L INTO THE TRACK. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE R WINGTIP HIT THE GND. THE PLANE CAME TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OTHER THAN THAT SUFFERED BY THE ACFT.

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.