Small aircraft makes emergency landing as engine quits.

Attributes
ACN	276140
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cgk airport : gck
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 298 flight time type : 170
ASRS Report	276140
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non 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:

I took off from lawrence, ks, at approximately XA50 pm. I had filed IFR to lamar, ks, and changed to garden city 2 hours and 30 mins into flight because of fuel availability. About 1 1/2 hours into flight, I noticed left fuel gauge was a little low, but right tank appeared normal. Because I started with 4 hours 45 mins of fuel on board, I had no worries of fuel problems. As I approached gck, I allowed a faster aircraft to pass by and I proceeded to follow the aircraft to the airport. About ZA45 pm and 5 mi ene of the airport, the engine surged a couple times and quit. I made an emergency landing in a nearby field with minor damages and no injuries. Although I'm not sure, engine performed as if out of fuel. To prevent a recurrence, I should be more suspicious of fuel gauges when indicating low on fuel, even when calculations indicate otherwise. Next time, make a precautionary landing and check fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA MAKES EMER LNDG AS ENG QUITS.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM LAWRENCE, KS, AT APPROX XA50 PM. I HAD FILED IFR TO LAMAR, KS, AND CHANGED TO GARDEN CITY 2 HRS AND 30 MINS INTO FLT BECAUSE OF FUEL AVAILABILITY. ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS INTO FLT, I NOTICED L FUEL GAUGE WAS A LITTLE LOW, BUT R TANK APPEARED NORMAL. BECAUSE I STARTED WITH 4 HRS 45 MINS OF FUEL ON BOARD, I HAD NO WORRIES OF FUEL PROBS. AS I APCHED GCK, I ALLOWED A FASTER ACFT TO PASS BY AND I PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE ACFT TO THE ARPT. ABOUT ZA45 PM AND 5 MI ENE OF THE ARPT, THE ENG SURGED A COUPLE TIMES AND QUIT. I MADE AN EMER LNDG IN A NEARBY FIELD WITH MINOR DAMAGES AND NO INJURIES. ALTHOUGH I'M NOT SURE, ENG PERFORMED AS IF OUT OF FUEL. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, I SHOULD BE MORE SUSPICIOUS OF FUEL GAUGES WHEN INDICATING LOW ON FUEL, EVEN WHEN CALCULATIONS INDICATE OTHERWISE. NEXT TIME, MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AND CHK FUEL.

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.