C207 pilot experiences engine failure at low altitude due to fuel starvation; followed by an off air...

Attributes
ACN	967969
Time
Date	201108
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 7/8
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	VFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Reciprocating Engine Assembly
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 170 Flight Crew Total 5500 Flight Crew Type 30
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical

Narrative:

[I was] operating a part 91 agricultural flight. I was flying at 1;000 ft MSL when I experienced a power loss. The engine reduced to idle power and I had no authority of the engine control. I declared an emergency and landed in a farmer's field approximately 6 miles east of the airport. I attempted to regain engine power with the limited time that I had available to me before impact became imminent. Just prior to touchdown; I pulled the mixture to idle-off and the aircraft came to rest in the field with minor damage. I knew I was low on fuel; but not to the point of being at an unsafe or illegal level. I do not know what happened that caused these events to take place. It is hard to monitor the fuel quantity gauges in any small aircraft simply because of the bouncing around associated with that flying. Looking forward; I will know not to assume fuel levels any longer and just get the gas. However; the primary cause was determined to be a maintenance issue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C207 pilot experiences engine failure at low altitude due to fuel starvation; followed by an off airport landing.

Narrative: [I was] operating a Part 91 agricultural flight. I was flying at 1;000 FT MSL when I experienced a power loss. The engine reduced to idle power and I had no authority of the engine control. I declared an emergency and landed in a farmer's field approximately 6 miles east of the airport. I attempted to regain engine power with the limited time that I had available to me before impact became imminent. Just prior to touchdown; I pulled the mixture to idle-off and the aircraft came to rest in the field with minor damage. I knew I was low on fuel; but not to the point of being at an unsafe or illegal level. I do not know what happened that caused these events to take place. It is hard to monitor the fuel quantity gauges in any small aircraft simply because of the bouncing around associated with that flying. Looking forward; I will know not to assume fuel levels any longer and just get the gas. However; the primary cause was determined to be a maintenance issue.

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.