GA small aircraft off airport landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	171309
Time
Date	199102
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bfi
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	171309
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on the final segment of a flight from ketchikan to the seattle area. At 5000' and 25 mi from bfi, the engine began losing power. Fuel selector was changed to the right tank. Engine power restored. It was apparently that the right fuel tank would also run dry very quickly, as that (right) side had already been used for 2.1 hours and the left was dry after satisfactory outcome of the emergency forced landing. 2 hwys were pointed out to me. After the 2 vehs passed going west and east, landing behind the eastbound car was made. Only minor damage to the aircraft and no injuries. Cause of high fuel comsumption is still being determined, but preliminary indications point to weak cylinder compression.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA OFF ARPT LNDG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE FINAL SEGMENT OF A FLT FROM KETCHIKAN TO THE SEATTLE AREA. AT 5000' AND 25 MI FROM BFI, THE ENG BEGAN LOSING PWR. FUEL SELECTOR WAS CHANGED TO THE RIGHT TANK. ENG PWR RESTORED. IT WAS APPARENTLY THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WOULD ALSO RUN DRY VERY QUICKLY, AS THAT (RIGHT) SIDE HAD ALREADY BEEN USED FOR 2.1 HRS AND THE LEFT WAS DRY AFTER SATISFACTORY OUTCOME OF THE EMER FORCED LNDG. 2 HWYS WERE POINTED OUT TO ME. AFTER THE 2 VEHS PASSED GOING W AND E, LNDG BEHIND THE EBND CAR WAS MADE. ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND NO INJURIES. CAUSE OF HIGH FUEL COMSUMPTION IS STILL BEING DETERMINED, BUT PRELIMINARY INDICATIONS POINT TO WEAK CYLINDER COMPRESSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.