Narrative:

Loss of engine power on 1/2 NM final approach into ZZZ. Use of wider than normal pattern was required because of previous landing traffic in the pattern; resulting in deeper final approach than normal. A quick check of ignition and fuel control did not reveal cause for loss of power and since glide to the runway was doubtful; pilot elected to land the aircraft in open bean field under and slightly left of the approach to runway xx without damage or injury. After exiting the aircraft; the surprised pilot inspected the aircraft for cause of loss of power. Pilot climbed the wing strut and found the left wing tank fuel cap dislodged from the tank and fuel stain on the wing consistent with fuel siphoning from the tank during flight. Flight planning and time en route should have left 9 gallons remaining upon arrival (1 hour flight time at normal cruise speed). However; visual inspection of the tanks verified no fuel remaining. Aircraft was partially refueled and after seeking permission from the owner of the bean field; aircraft was flown to the airport. Problem caused by failing to ensure fuel caps were secured properly prior to departure; although the caps were inspected during the preflight after refueling. A contributing factor was the design of the fuel caps. These fuel caps; mandated by airworthiness directive and in wide use in the cessna fleet but are different from the original design used on the model and are difficult to secure properly; especially because of the retaining chain. Problem can be avoided with more diligent inspection of the fuel caps; which are known to be difficult to seat properly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C150 PILOT LANDED SHORT OF THE AIRPORT WHEN HE LOST POWER ON APCH BECAUSE OF LOW FUEL STATE.

Narrative: LOSS OF ENG PWR ON 1/2 NM FINAL APCH INTO ZZZ. USE OF WIDER THAN NORMAL PATTERN WAS REQUIRED BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS LNDG TFC IN THE PATTERN; RESULTING IN DEEPER FINAL APCH THAN NORMAL. A QUICK CHK OF IGNITION AND FUEL CTL DID NOT REVEAL CAUSE FOR LOSS OF PWR AND SINCE GLIDE TO THE RWY WAS DOUBTFUL; PLT ELECTED TO LAND THE ACFT IN OPEN BEAN FIELD UNDER AND SLIGHTLY L OF THE APCH TO RWY XX WITHOUT DAMAGE OR INJURY. AFTER EXITING THE ACFT; THE SURPRISED PLT INSPECTED THE ACFT FOR CAUSE OF LOSS OF PWR. PLT CLBED THE WING STRUT AND FOUND THE L WING TANK FUEL CAP DISLODGED FROM THE TANK AND FUEL STAIN ON THE WING CONSISTENT WITH FUEL SIPHONING FROM THE TANK DURING FLT. FLT PLANNING AND TIME ENRTE SHOULD HAVE LEFT 9 GALLONS REMAINING UPON ARR (1 HR FLT TIME AT NORMAL CRUISE SPD). HOWEVER; VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TANKS VERIFIED NO FUEL REMAINING. ACFT WAS PARTIALLY REFUELED AND AFTER SEEKING PERMISSION FROM THE OWNER OF THE BEAN FIELD; ACFT WAS FLOWN TO THE ARPT. PROB CAUSED BY FAILING TO ENSURE FUEL CAPS WERE SECURED PROPERLY PRIOR TO DEP; ALTHOUGH THE CAPS WERE INSPECTED DURING THE PREFLT AFTER REFUELING. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL CAPS. THESE FUEL CAPS; MANDATED BY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE AND IN WIDE USE IN THE CESSNA FLEET BUT ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINAL DESIGN USED ON THE MODEL AND ARE DIFFICULT TO SECURE PROPERLY; ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE RETAINING CHAIN. PROB CAN BE AVOIDED WITH MORE DILIGENT INSPECTION OF THE FUEL CAPS; WHICH ARE KNOWN TO BE DIFFICULT TO SEAT PROPERLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.