Aircraft 'crash landed' on cre.

Attributes
ACN	292276
Time
Date	199412
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cre
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3000
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 : approach other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 191 flight time total : 278 flight time type : 278
ASRS Report	292276
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I had been switching from tank to tank to burn the fuel load evenly. After burning 2 hours of fuel from the left tank, I closed it and continued flying on the right fuel tank. 20 to 30 mi from cre airport I noted the left fuel tank reading empty. Unsure of the problem and suspecting indication, I continued on the right fuel tank. 5 mi from the airport the right tank was practically empty so I switched to the left fuel tank. After 10 seconds of flying the engine cut out. I then switched back to the right fuel tank and got the engine restarted. As I glided the airplane in for an emergency landing, I looked out for a place to land and noted the left fuel cap missing. The fuel cap had fallen off and the fuel had been siphoned out of the tank. I crash landed on the airport field after striking one of the approach lighting poles. My fuel cap was the type that locks with a quarter turn and the fin faired to the wind. This fuel cap came off either because I did not notice it was not properly secured or it vibrated loose from wear. This type of fuel cap should have some type of safety lock to ensure it is properly installed and locked in a way that it does not fall off from vibration.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT 'CRASH LANDED' ON CRE.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN SWITCHING FROM TANK TO TANK TO BURN THE FUEL LOAD EVENLY. AFTER BURNING 2 HRS OF FUEL FROM THE L TANK, I CLOSED IT AND CONTINUED FLYING ON THE R FUEL TANK. 20 TO 30 MI FROM CRE ARPT I NOTED THE L FUEL TANK READING EMPTY. UNSURE OF THE PROB AND SUSPECTING INDICATION, I CONTINUED ON THE R FUEL TANK. 5 MI FROM THE ARPT THE R TANK WAS PRACTICALLY EMPTY SO I SWITCHED TO THE L FUEL TANK. AFTER 10 SECONDS OF FLYING THE ENG CUT OUT. I THEN SWITCHED BACK TO THE R FUEL TANK AND GOT THE ENG RESTARTED. AS I GLIDED THE AIRPLANE IN FOR AN EMER LNDG, I LOOKED OUT FOR A PLACE TO LAND AND NOTED THE L FUEL CAP MISSING. THE FUEL CAP HAD FALLEN OFF AND THE FUEL HAD BEEN SIPHONED OUT OF THE TANK. I CRASH LANDED ON THE ARPT FIELD AFTER STRIKING ONE OF THE APCH LIGHTING POLES. MY FUEL CAP WAS THE TYPE THAT LOCKS WITH A QUARTER TURN AND THE FIN FAIRED TO THE WIND. THIS FUEL CAP CAME OFF EITHER BECAUSE I DID NOT NOTICE IT WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED OR IT VIBRATED LOOSE FROM WEAR. THIS TYPE OF FUEL CAP SHOULD HAVE SOME TYPE OF SAFETY LOCK TO ENSURE IT IS PROPERLY INSTALLED AND LOCKED IN A WAY THAT IT DOES NOT FALL OFF FROM VIBRATION.

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.