C188 pilot reports engine failure and off airport landing from 25 feet AGL.

Attributes
ACN	801021
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 25
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Ag Wagon 188/Ag Truck/Ag Husky
Operating Under FAR Part	other : 137
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 12800 flight time type : 730
ASRS Report	801021
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I departed on an aerial seeding flight to treat several fields. The fuel had just been topped off. At XA20; I finished the last field and noted the time and decided to head back to the airport about 10 mi to the west; because I believe I had about 25 mins of fuel left -- the gauge was showing 1/8 of a tank. About 1 mi away was another field that needed the ends trimmed; so I dropped down to do that as I flew back to the airport. As I was making the pass; the engine quit. I immediately added 1 notch of flaps while turning 45 degrees into the wind and landed safely in a soybean field. After landing; the fuel gauge was still showing 1/16 of a tank. The plane was later towed out of the field to a gravel road; fuel was added; everything checked out; and was flown back to the airport. I should have been paying closer attention to the time and been on the ground with a 30 min reserve. I should not have been trusting a fuel gauge. I should have accurately figured fuel burn. It had a total endurance of 1 hour 55 mins instead of the 2 hours 15 mins I believed. I got lucky. No injuries and no damage to the plane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C188 PILOT REPORTS ENGINE FAILURE AND OFF ARPT LANDING FROM 25 FEET AGL.

Narrative: I DEPARTED ON AN AERIAL SEEDING FLT TO TREAT SEVERAL FIELDS. THE FUEL HAD JUST BEEN TOPPED OFF. AT XA20; I FINISHED THE LAST FIELD AND NOTED THE TIME AND DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO THE ARPT ABOUT 10 MI TO THE W; BECAUSE I BELIEVE I HAD ABOUT 25 MINS OF FUEL LEFT -- THE GAUGE WAS SHOWING 1/8 OF A TANK. ABOUT 1 MI AWAY WAS ANOTHER FIELD THAT NEEDED THE ENDS TRIMMED; SO I DROPPED DOWN TO DO THAT AS I FLEW BACK TO THE ARPT. AS I WAS MAKING THE PASS; THE ENG QUIT. I IMMEDIATELY ADDED 1 NOTCH OF FLAPS WHILE TURNING 45 DEGS INTO THE WIND AND LANDED SAFELY IN A SOYBEAN FIELD. AFTER LNDG; THE FUEL GAUGE WAS STILL SHOWING 1/16 OF A TANK. THE PLANE WAS LATER TOWED OUT OF THE FIELD TO A GRAVEL ROAD; FUEL WAS ADDED; EVERYTHING CHKED OUT; AND WAS FLOWN BACK TO THE ARPT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING CLOSER ATTN TO THE TIME AND BEEN ON THE GND WITH A 30 MIN RESERVE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN TRUSTING A FUEL GAUGE. I SHOULD HAVE ACCURATELY FIGURED FUEL BURN. IT HAD A TOTAL ENDURANCE OF 1 HR 55 MINS INSTEAD OF THE 2 HRS 15 MINS I BELIEVED. I GOT LUCKY. NO INJURIES AND NO DAMAGE TO THE PLANE.

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.