Narrative:

Cross country flight planned for approx 2 hrs 35 min. Aircraft was topped off with a fuel capacity of approx 68gal. Flight plan fuel for each leg was 38 gallons; landed at destination with 30 gallons. Confirmed with fuel computer and sight gauges (max fuel readable in this aircraft is 30 gallons; there is no stick capability). [I] asked for 20 gallons additional (10 in each wing) for a total of 50 gallons for return leg (1 hour reserve). The FBO was unfamiliar with my aircraft type and I was not present for the refueling of the aircraft. My fuel gauges read full upon arrival (15 gal max each) thus I could not determine if in fact the FBO had fueled correctly. During takeoff I noticed a slight rolling tendency to the left but attributed that to the crosswind. I fed the left wing fuel first for 1/2 hour followed by the right for 1 hour then the left for just under an hour and then back to the right as we approached the destination. The fuel computer registered approx 12 gal remaining just prior to the incident. My passenger obscured the sight gauge for the right tank and I falsely assumed the tanks to be even. Apparently the FBO had put all 20 gallons in the left wing and my right wing was near empty when I selected it for the last time. A few minutes after selection of the right the engine starting coughing from fuel starvation. I selected the other tank and left the right tank open also. The engine continued to sputter and lose power. Not sure if the engine would come back I elected to make an emergency landing onto a county road. The landing was uneventful with no damage or injury. The engine had sputtered continuously during the short approach. I shut the engine down when we came to a stop. At this point my evaluation was that the right empty tank venting system had somehow altered fuel flow from the left tank. I called some friends to bring me some 100LL for the right tank. After their arrival I measured the road; marked the hazards (telephone wires) with vehicles and had another vehicle block the road. I computed that I could either takeoff or abort at my go/no-go point. I then filled the right tank; started the engine and gave it a thorough engine run; which was normal. Although it was now dark the vehicles helped with lighting and hazard marking. The takeoff was deemed safe. I conducted the takeoff as planned and uneventfully returned to the destination. A recurrence could be prevented by 1) always supervise refueling since I don't have a dip stick capability 2) monitoring the sight gauges closer and not relying on the fuel computer 3) don't allow an empty tank to be tied into the wet tank (i.e. Immediately shut the empty tank after opening wet tank) 4) determine if a fuel measuring device can be installed for actual total fuel readings for each wing (beyond 15 gallons per wing) on my aircraft type.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Glasair III Pilot reported an off airport landing after his aircraft's engine stopped because of fuel starvation. The aircraft's fuel system cannot display all fuel that should be loaded into the aircraft and so he could not determine that all of his requested fuel had not been uploaded.

Narrative: Cross country flight planned for approx 2 hrs 35 min. Aircraft was topped off with a fuel capacity of approx 68gal. Flight plan fuel for each leg was 38 gallons; landed at destination with 30 gallons. Confirmed with fuel computer and sight gauges (max fuel readable in this aircraft is 30 gallons; there is no stick capability). [I] asked for 20 gallons additional (10 in each wing) for a total of 50 gallons for return leg (1 hour reserve). The FBO was unfamiliar with my aircraft type and I was not present for the refueling of the aircraft. My fuel gauges read full upon arrival (15 gal max each) thus I could not determine if in fact the FBO had fueled correctly. During takeoff I noticed a slight rolling tendency to the left but attributed that to the crosswind. I fed the left wing fuel first for 1/2 hour followed by the right for 1 hour then the left for just under an hour and then back to the right as we approached the destination. The fuel computer registered approx 12 gal remaining just prior to the incident. My passenger obscured the sight gauge for the right tank and I falsely assumed the tanks to be even. Apparently the FBO had put all 20 gallons in the left wing and my right wing was near empty when I selected it for the last time. A few minutes after selection of the right the engine starting coughing from fuel starvation. I selected the other tank and left the right tank open also. The engine continued to sputter and lose power. Not sure if the engine would come back I elected to make an emergency landing onto a county road. The landing was uneventful with no damage or injury. The engine had sputtered continuously during the short approach. I shut the engine down when we came to a stop. At this point my evaluation was that the right empty tank venting system had somehow altered fuel flow from the left tank. I called some friends to bring me some 100LL for the right tank. After their arrival I measured the road; marked the hazards (telephone wires) with vehicles and had another vehicle block the road. I computed that I could either takeoff or abort at my go/no-go point. I then filled the right tank; started the engine and gave it a thorough engine run; which was normal. Although it was now dark the vehicles helped with lighting and hazard marking. The takeoff was deemed safe. I conducted the takeoff as planned and uneventfully returned to the destination. A recurrence could be prevented by 1) always supervise refueling since I don't have a dip stick capability 2) monitoring the sight gauges closer and not relying on the fuel computer 3) don't allow an empty tank to be tied into the wet tank (i.e. immediately shut the empty tank after opening wet tank) 4) determine if a fuel measuring device can be installed for actual total fuel readings for each wing (beyond 15 gallons per wing) on my aircraft type.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.