Narrative:

In cruise at 10000 ft (on top) the 6 probe egt #2 cylinder started flashing up and down 1200-1900 degrees (insight 6 probe egt). I felt that it was a probe failure and not a real problem. Nevertheless I checked the cht and egt on all the cylinders and they were all ok. The cht on #2 was 325 degrees and the engine was running smooth. We did not have the problem at lower altitudes; so I asked for 6000 ft. At 6000 ft we still had the problem along with clouds and a rough ride; so I asked for 4000 ft where we had a smooth ride in VFR. Without warning; the engine quit! I changed tanks; hit the boost pump; but got no fuel pressure. I told ATC I had a problem. They declared an emergency and gave me a heading to the airport 7 mi. I was at 2500 ft. I decided to quit troubleshooting and fly the airplane. With traffic and telephone poles on the road I chose the soy bean field. After a successful soft field landing and checking the overall appearance of the engine and oil; I found nothing wrong. I cleared the area; hit the boost pump; and it finally picked up. I checked the right tip tank and it was empty. Evidently the left tip tank (gravity flow) had failed to pick up in the 'both' xfeed position and with the other problem taking most of my attention; I had missed that. I talked with FAA and with NTSB and an ia. Finding nothing wrong with the airplane and in airworthy condition and permission from the land owner; we measured the field; placed cones along the runway and departed gear down to ZZZ. The next morning; I met with the maintenance shop where he did a more extensive inspection on jacks where he could cycle the gear. The airplane did not have a scratch or any damage whatsoever. No doubt annual training and ground schools were factors in having a good outcome. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter admits on callback that he mismanaged the fuel. He became preoccupied with #6 egt and thought other problems had caused his engine to quit. Once committed to an off airport landing the emergency was handled very well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE36 PLT RPTS ENG FAILURE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION AND SUCCESSFUL OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: IN CRUISE AT 10000 FT (ON TOP) THE 6 PROBE EGT #2 CYLINDER STARTED FLASHING UP AND DOWN 1200-1900 DEGS (INSIGHT 6 PROBE EGT). I FELT THAT IT WAS A PROBE FAILURE AND NOT A REAL PROB. NEVERTHELESS I CHKED THE CHT AND EGT ON ALL THE CYLINDERS AND THEY WERE ALL OK. THE CHT ON #2 WAS 325 DEGS AND THE ENG WAS RUNNING SMOOTH. WE DID NOT HAVE THE PROB AT LOWER ALTS; SO I ASKED FOR 6000 FT. AT 6000 FT WE STILL HAD THE PROB ALONG WITH CLOUDS AND A ROUGH RIDE; SO I ASKED FOR 4000 FT WHERE WE HAD A SMOOTH RIDE IN VFR. WITHOUT WARNING; THE ENG QUIT! I CHANGED TANKS; HIT THE BOOST PUMP; BUT GOT NO FUEL PRESSURE. I TOLD ATC I HAD A PROB. THEY DECLARED AN EMER AND GAVE ME A HDG TO THE ARPT 7 MI. I WAS AT 2500 FT. I DECIDED TO QUIT TROUBLESHOOTING AND FLY THE AIRPLANE. WITH TFC AND TELEPHONE POLES ON THE ROAD I CHOSE THE SOY BEAN FIELD. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL SOFT FIELD LNDG AND CHKING THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF THE ENG AND OIL; I FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I CLRED THE AREA; HIT THE BOOST PUMP; AND IT FINALLY PICKED UP. I CHKED THE R TIP TANK AND IT WAS EMPTY. EVIDENTLY THE L TIP TANK (GRAVITY FLOW) HAD FAILED TO PICK UP IN THE 'BOTH' XFEED POS AND WITH THE OTHER PROB TAKING MOST OF MY ATTN; I HAD MISSED THAT. I TALKED WITH FAA AND WITH NTSB AND AN IA. FINDING NOTHING WRONG WITH THE AIRPLANE AND IN AIRWORTHY CONDITION AND PERMISSION FROM THE LAND OWNER; WE MEASURED THE FIELD; PLACED CONES ALONG THE RWY AND DEPARTED GEAR DOWN TO ZZZ. THE NEXT MORNING; I MET WITH THE MAINT SHOP WHERE HE DID A MORE EXTENSIVE INSPECTION ON JACKS WHERE HE COULD CYCLE THE GEAR. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE A SCRATCH OR ANY DAMAGE WHATSOEVER. NO DOUBT ANNUAL TRAINING AND GND SCHOOLS WERE FACTORS IN HAVING A GOOD OUTCOME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR ADMITS ON CALLBACK THAT HE MISMANAGED THE FUEL. HE BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH #6 EGT AND THOUGHT OTHER PROBS HAD CAUSED HIS ENG TO QUIT. ONCE COMMITTED TO AN OFF ARPT LNDG THE EMER WAS HANDLED VERY WELL.

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.