Loss of fuel requires an off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	307021
Time
Date	199506
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ryy
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3220
ASRS Report	307021
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While in cruise flight, I experienced a low-fuel pressure warning, followed by a partial (at times complete) power loss. I successfully executed an off-airport landing in a cow pasture, with cosmetic damage to right wingtip and flap. I then noticed the right fuel cap was missing, I secured 5 gals gas and put it in the left tank, closed the xfeed to the right tank and departed to the mccollum airport. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. The lesson learned was to make certain the fuel caps are properly secured and/or without defects that could cause a failure. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter was flying a kit fox aircraft of his own manufacture. This is the 4TH aircraft that he has built. He has INS, communication and CFI ratings as well as MEL. 'Flying is my passion!' and ryy ATCT local controller saw his aircraft go down and called the fire department who told the reporter that he could not takeoff because he had run out of gas and was overdue even though he had filed no pilot plan. The controller also notified the local FSDO. The reporter was notified by the FSDO and sent him away with a clean bill of health. The reporter does not know why the fuel cap failed, but admits that he may have not secured it properly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF FUEL REQUIRES AN OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE FLT, I EXPERIENCED A LOW-FUEL PRESSURE WARNING, FOLLOWED BY A PARTIAL (AT TIMES COMPLETE) PWR LOSS. I SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED AN OFF-ARPT LNDG IN A COW PASTURE, WITH COSMETIC DAMAGE TO R WINGTIP AND FLAP. I THEN NOTICED THE R FUEL CAP WAS MISSING, I SECURED 5 GALS GAS AND PUT IT IN THE L TANK, CLOSED THE XFEED TO THE R TANK AND DEPARTED TO THE MCCOLLUM ARPT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE LESSON LEARNED WAS TO MAKE CERTAIN THE FUEL CAPS ARE PROPERLY SECURED AND/OR WITHOUT DEFECTS THAT COULD CAUSE A FAILURE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A KIT FOX ACFT OF HIS OWN MANUFACTURE. THIS IS THE 4TH ACFT THAT HE HAS BUILT. HE HAS INS, COM AND CFI RATINGS AS WELL AS MEL. 'FLYING IS MY PASSION!' AND RYY ATCT LCL CTLR SAW HIS ACFT GO DOWN AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPT WHO TOLD THE RPTR THAT HE COULD NOT TKOF BECAUSE HE HAD RUN OUT OF GAS AND WAS OVERDUE EVEN THOUGH HE HAD FILED NO PLT PLAN. THE CTLR ALSO NOTIFIED THE LCL FSDO. THE RPTR WAS NOTIFIED BY THE FSDO AND SENT HIM AWAY WITH A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH. THE RPTR DOES NOT KNOW WHY THE FUEL CAP FAILED, BUT ADMITS THAT HE MAY HAVE NOT SECURED IT PROPERLY.

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.