Engine failure due to fuel starvation causes forced landing on highway.

Attributes
ACN	132724
Time
Date	198912
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dkx
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tys
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	132724
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We had flown 3.9 hours en route to downtown island airport when we experienced fuel starvation. I then performed an emergency landing on the ashville highway being the best suitable landing area 3 NM north of downtown island airport. The aircraft (by aircraft manual) should have flown 5.2 hours. Landing sustained no damage or injury. The cause for the fuel starvation has not been determined for this small aircraft. Speculation includes, collapsed fuel tank bladders, open fuel lines, fuel siphon out tank caps, slow tachometer, malfunctioning magneto, to open fuel system. I verified full fuel visually prior to departure. Inaccurate fuel gauges allowed the problem to go unnoticed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION CAUSES FORCED LNDG ON HIGHWAY.

Narrative: WE HAD FLOWN 3.9 HRS ENRTE TO DOWNTOWN ISLAND ARPT WHEN WE EXPERIENCED FUEL STARVATION. I THEN PERFORMED AN EMER LNDG ON THE ASHVILLE HIGHWAY BEING THE BEST SUITABLE LNDG AREA 3 NM N OF DOWNTOWN ISLAND ARPT. THE ACFT (BY ACFT MANUAL) SHOULD HAVE FLOWN 5.2 HRS. LNDG SUSTAINED NO DAMAGE OR INJURY. THE CAUSE FOR THE FUEL STARVATION HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED FOR THIS SMA. SPECULATION INCLUDES, COLLAPSED FUEL TANK BLADDERS, OPEN FUEL LINES, FUEL SIPHON OUT TANK CAPS, SLOW TACHOMETER, MALFUNCTIONING MAGNETO, TO OPEN FUEL SYSTEM. I VERIFIED FULL FUEL VISUALLY PRIOR TO DEP. INACCURATE FUEL GAUGES ALLOWED THE PROBLEM TO GO UNNOTICED.

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.