Narrative:

I and 3 other people; all pilots; started a trip to oshkosh; wi. This trip was planned non-stop since the plane had a 1000 mi range. Each tank holds 30 gallons usable fuel. We flew 30 per tank -- starting with the right tank with 15 gallons auxiliary with only 7 gallons to stay in center of gravity. Approximately 2 1/2 hours into the flight at 7500 ft; we encountered moderate turbulence. While running on the right tank; the engine stumbled. I immediately changed to the left tank; increased power and moved to higher altitude to clear clouds and turbulence. I noticed that the fuel gauge on the right tank was reading between 1/4 - 1/2; not empty. This airplane had not been flown this low of fuel before; so I was unaware of this discrepancy. As we reached ripon; moving to the approach altitude and on to fisk; we were now at 1800 ft MSL and had been in-flight approximately 4 hours 10 mins. We had passed fisk and were only 4 mi from the destination when we were informed that we were to enter a holding pattern at rush lake. It was after the first circle around the lake that I observed my left gauge was nearing the same place that the engine began to stall on the right tank. Knowing in my mind that I had more than 30 mins reserve; I still became concerned about being in the holding pattern. I brought this gauge reading to the attention of my passenger. We all agreed that since the FAA had so kindly provided a 2300 ft grass strip right in front of us; we should land and make a visual fuel check. Safety first -- we all agreed. We made a flawless short field landing -- on wet grass I might add. By the time the aircraft stopped and the doors opened; the FAA was there offering their assistance. The gentleman was from the fisk control tower. He was very kind; polite; and offered to take all of us in to town. I explained to him why I had made this landing for a visual fuel check. He agreed that I had done the right thing -- of putting safety first. He took us to a car rental company; where we rented a car; we thought; for a half day. We then drove to purchase 4 new 5 gallon gas containers. We then drove to an FBO. We explained our reason for needing the gas in jugs and practically had to beg for the accommodation. We then returned to the aircraft to put 10 gallons in each tank. After all; we had already landed; why not put fuel in. The FAA was waiting when we arrived. Not even having experienced an encounter with the feds before; I was unprepared for the interrogation that ensued. As I explained my reason for landing; I could see the smiles of delight come on their faces as if to say; 'we've got you now!' after inspecting both fuel tanks and finding no fuel in the right tank and only 1/2 - 1 inch in the left tank; they questioned my fuel management and competence as a pilot. I tried to explain that this aircraft had a 3 tank per wing system; and they are filled from the outboard tank; therefore; you wouldn't see the remaining fuel since it runs to the inboard tanks (just common sense). After some calculations; we determined we had 20-30 mins on board. My paperwork and aircraft paperwork was all in order. They then wanted to see what was in my baggage compartment. At first glance; one announced 'that's got to be over 200 pounds.' 'not so;' I explained; 'it is less than 150 pounds.' they did not agree! I repeatedly asked if we could move on to our destination. With no answer until XA30; and then it was far too late; because now the airport was closed for a special event. He then announced that he was going to ground this aircraft for the one gauge that I admitted was incorrect and that I would have to get a ferry permit to fly it home. I would also have to hire a mechanic to determine its airworthiness. This is where the feds just became mean. I asked if we could fill the plane with fuel and make 2 fuel stops on the way home. He replied; 'it is now under a ferry permit; and you will not carry passenger or baggage and how your passenger get home is not my problem!' not a very nice man; but certainly a good representative of the FAA horror stories I have heard about from other pilots. Several good lessons were learned from this experience: 1) I will never fly a plane more than 1/2 of its fuel range again. 2) never; never; never use any runway the FAA states is there for you in am emergency -- it is a trap! 3) fly by the book whenever possible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN UNPLANNED LANDING FOR FUEL ENROUTE RESULTS IN CONFRONTATIONS WITH AND AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE ACTION BY AN FAA OFFICER.

Narrative: I AND 3 OTHER PEOPLE; ALL PLTS; STARTED A TRIP TO OSHKOSH; WI. THIS TRIP WAS PLANNED NON-STOP SINCE THE PLANE HAD A 1000 MI RANGE. EACH TANK HOLDS 30 GALLONS USABLE FUEL. WE FLEW 30 PER TANK -- STARTING WITH THE R TANK WITH 15 GALLONS AUX WITH ONLY 7 GALLONS TO STAY IN CTR OF GRAVITY. APPROX 2 1/2 HRS INTO THE FLT AT 7500 FT; WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB. WHILE RUNNING ON THE R TANK; THE ENG STUMBLED. I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED TO THE L TANK; INCREASED PWR AND MOVED TO HIGHER ALT TO CLR CLOUDS AND TURB. I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE ON THE R TANK WAS READING BTWN 1/4 - 1/2; NOT EMPTY. THIS AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN THIS LOW OF FUEL BEFORE; SO I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS DISCREPANCY. AS WE REACHED RIPON; MOVING TO THE APCH ALT AND ON TO FISK; WE WERE NOW AT 1800 FT MSL AND HAD BEEN INFLT APPROX 4 HRS 10 MINS. WE HAD PASSED FISK AND WERE ONLY 4 MI FROM THE DEST WHEN WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE WERE TO ENTER A HOLDING PATTERN AT RUSH LAKE. IT WAS AFTER THE FIRST CIRCLE AROUND THE LAKE THAT I OBSERVED MY L GAUGE WAS NEARING THE SAME PLACE THAT THE ENG BEGAN TO STALL ON THE R TANK. KNOWING IN MY MIND THAT I HAD MORE THAN 30 MINS RESERVE; I STILL BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT BEING IN THE HOLDING PATTERN. I BROUGHT THIS GAUGE READING TO THE ATTN OF MY PAX. WE ALL AGREED THAT SINCE THE FAA HAD SO KINDLY PROVIDED A 2300 FT GRASS STRIP RIGHT IN FRONT OF US; WE SHOULD LAND AND MAKE A VISUAL FUEL CHK. SAFETY FIRST -- WE ALL AGREED. WE MADE A FLAWLESS SHORT FIELD LNDG -- ON WET GRASS I MIGHT ADD. BY THE TIME THE ACFT STOPPED AND THE DOORS OPENED; THE FAA WAS THERE OFFERING THEIR ASSISTANCE. THE GENTLEMAN WAS FROM THE FISK CTL TWR. HE WAS VERY KIND; POLITE; AND OFFERED TO TAKE ALL OF US IN TO TOWN. I EXPLAINED TO HIM WHY I HAD MADE THIS LNDG FOR A VISUAL FUEL CHK. HE AGREED THAT I HAD DONE THE RIGHT THING -- OF PUTTING SAFETY FIRST. HE TOOK US TO A CAR RENTAL COMPANY; WHERE WE RENTED A CAR; WE THOUGHT; FOR A HALF DAY. WE THEN DROVE TO PURCHASE 4 NEW 5 GALLON GAS CONTAINERS. WE THEN DROVE TO AN FBO. WE EXPLAINED OUR REASON FOR NEEDING THE GAS IN JUGS AND PRACTICALLY HAD TO BEG FOR THE ACCOMMODATION. WE THEN RETURNED TO THE ACFT TO PUT 10 GALLONS IN EACH TANK. AFTER ALL; WE HAD ALREADY LANDED; WHY NOT PUT FUEL IN. THE FAA WAS WAITING WHEN WE ARRIVED. NOT EVEN HAVING EXPERIENCED AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE FEDS BEFORE; I WAS UNPREPARED FOR THE INTERROGATION THAT ENSUED. AS I EXPLAINED MY REASON FOR LNDG; I COULD SEE THE SMILES OF DELIGHT COME ON THEIR FACES AS IF TO SAY; 'WE'VE GOT YOU NOW!' AFTER INSPECTING BOTH FUEL TANKS AND FINDING NO FUEL IN THE R TANK AND ONLY 1/2 - 1 INCH IN THE L TANK; THEY QUESTIONED MY FUEL MGMNT AND COMPETENCE AS A PLT. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT THIS ACFT HAD A 3 TANK PER WING SYS; AND THEY ARE FILLED FROM THE OUTBOARD TANK; THEREFORE; YOU WOULDN'T SEE THE REMAINING FUEL SINCE IT RUNS TO THE INBOARD TANKS (JUST COMMON SENSE). AFTER SOME CALCULATIONS; WE DETERMINED WE HAD 20-30 MINS ON BOARD. MY PAPERWORK AND ACFT PAPERWORK WAS ALL IN ORDER. THEY THEN WANTED TO SEE WHAT WAS IN MY BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. AT FIRST GLANCE; ONE ANNOUNCED 'THAT'S GOT TO BE OVER 200 LBS.' 'NOT SO;' I EXPLAINED; 'IT IS LESS THAN 150 LBS.' THEY DID NOT AGREE! I REPEATEDLY ASKED IF WE COULD MOVE ON TO OUR DEST. WITH NO ANSWER UNTIL XA30; AND THEN IT WAS FAR TOO LATE; BECAUSE NOW THE ARPT WAS CLOSED FOR A SPECIAL EVENT. HE THEN ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS GOING TO GND THIS ACFT FOR THE ONE GAUGE THAT I ADMITTED WAS INCORRECT AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GET A FERRY PERMIT TO FLY IT HOME. I WOULD ALSO HAVE TO HIRE A MECH TO DETERMINE ITS AIRWORTHINESS. THIS IS WHERE THE FEDS JUST BECAME MEAN. I ASKED IF WE COULD FILL THE PLANE WITH FUEL AND MAKE 2 FUEL STOPS ON THE WAY HOME. HE REPLIED; 'IT IS NOW UNDER A FERRY PERMIT; AND YOU WILL NOT CARRY PAX OR BAGGAGE AND HOW YOUR PAX GET HOME IS NOT MY PROB!' NOT A VERY NICE MAN; BUT CERTAINLY A GOOD REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FAA HORROR STORIES I HAVE HEARD ABOUT FROM OTHER PLTS. SEVERAL GOOD LESSONS WERE LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE: 1) I WILL NEVER FLY A PLANE MORE THAN 1/2 OF ITS FUEL RANGE AGAIN. 2) NEVER; NEVER; NEVER USE ANY RWY THE FAA STATES IS THERE FOR YOU IN AM EMER -- IT IS A TRAP! 3) FLY BY THE BOOK WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

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.