Narrative:

Problem: while on a des out of 7500' west of jefco airport, at rate of 500 FPM, we were at approximately 6800-7000' above and 2 NM east of boulder airport when engine cut out. Gauge on right tank showed just short of 1/4 tank approximately 4 gals with 2 gals reserve (6 total indicated). Switched to right. Went through engine restart. Turned to boulder approach runway 27. Wind was 250 KTS at 18 G 25 at jefco, airspeed 65 KTS sink rate was approximately 800 FPM. Repeated restart procedures. Due to the rapid des rate, distance from approach runway and wind, was determined that we would not make the runway. A left turn was then made to prior, located dark area assumed to be an open field. 10 degree flaps were used. T/D was smooth. Airplane was stopped with little to no damage. Called FAA that night. Damage: dent in exhaust pipe. 1' dent in wing strut, small 1' hole in plastic with tip of right horizontal stabilizer. Aircraft was flown out of field next day. Corrective actions: visual check of fuel only determines that gauges work, not that they are accurate! Dip stick tanks are of no value unless stick is calibrated. Suggestion: on flts over 2 hours, tanks should be topped off. Airplanes are flown by the hour, so an accurate account of fuel quantity is imperative. According to gauges, I should have been able to fly 2 hours .75 tenths or 45 mins, plus a fuel reserve of 4 gals. Flame out came after only 1.9 hours. Gauge has been determined to be erroneous. Suggestion: more emphasis should be put on landing with engine power off as airplane acts much different than usual for dist, rate of des, flame out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FUEL EXHAUSTION FORCED LNDG OFF ARPT.

Narrative: PROB: WHILE ON A DES OUT OF 7500' W OF JEFCO ARPT, AT RATE OF 500 FPM, WE WERE AT APPROX 6800-7000' ABOVE AND 2 NM E OF BOULDER ARPT WHEN ENG CUT OUT. GAUGE ON RIGHT TANK SHOWED JUST SHORT OF 1/4 TANK APPROX 4 GALS WITH 2 GALS RESERVE (6 TOTAL INDICATED). SWITCHED TO RIGHT. WENT THROUGH ENG RESTART. TURNED TO BOULDER APCH RWY 27. WIND WAS 250 KTS AT 18 G 25 AT JEFCO, AIRSPD 65 KTS SINK RATE WAS APPROX 800 FPM. REPEATED RESTART PROCS. DUE TO THE RAPID DES RATE, DISTANCE FROM APCH RWY AND WIND, WAS DETERMINED THAT WE WOULD NOT MAKE THE RWY. A LEFT TURN WAS THEN MADE TO PRIOR, LOCATED DARK AREA ASSUMED TO BE AN OPEN FIELD. 10 DEG FLAPS WERE USED. T/D WAS SMOOTH. AIRPLANE WAS STOPPED WITH LITTLE TO NO DAMAGE. CALLED FAA THAT NIGHT. DAMAGE: DENT IN EXHAUST PIPE. 1' DENT IN WING STRUT, SMALL 1' HOLE IN PLASTIC WITH TIP OF RIGHT HORIZ STAB. ACFT WAS FLOWN OUT OF FIELD NEXT DAY. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: VISUAL CHK OF FUEL ONLY DETERMINES THAT GAUGES WORK, NOT THAT THEY ARE ACCURATE! DIP STICK TANKS ARE OF NO VALUE UNLESS STICK IS CALIBRATED. SUGGESTION: ON FLTS OVER 2 HRS, TANKS SHOULD BE TOPPED OFF. AIRPLANES ARE FLOWN BY THE HR, SO AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF FUEL QUANTITY IS IMPERATIVE. ACCORDING TO GAUGES, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FLY 2 HRS .75 TENTHS OR 45 MINS, PLUS A FUEL RESERVE OF 4 GALS. FLAME OUT CAME AFTER ONLY 1.9 HRS. GAUGE HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE ERRONEOUS. SUGGESTION: MORE EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PUT ON LNDG WITH ENG PWR OFF AS AIRPLANE ACTS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN USUAL FOR DIST, RATE OF DES, FLAME OUT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.