Narrative:

The planned trip was from smd to I17 followed by the return trip. Problem started when I did not visually check the fuel in the tanks and relied on the fuel indicators which both showed full tanks. The trip to piqua (I17) was uneventful. However, on the return trip upon climb out at 600 ft AGL we experienced a power loss. Turned the aircraft to an appropriate field and start emergency procedures. The right tank, which was used on the flight down to piqua was indicating 7/8 full, was being used so I switched tanks, applied boost pumps, and attempted restart. With not enough altitude to restart, an emergency landing took place with damage to the front wheel fairing. An FAA representative surveyed the situation and classified it as a minor incident. The aircraft was moved to another field with the help of the property owner, where he was compensated for his help and inconvenience, and the aircraft departed for fwa with an appropriate ferry permit. The left tank was full. I remember after the crash the right fuel indicator still showed 7/8 full. I also remember on the initial chkout for the aircraft, the instructor stated the fuel gauges 'don't work.' from this point forward I will always visually check the fuel quantity no matter how inconvenient it might be. This was the first and last time that I hadn't visually checked the fuel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL FORCED TO LAND OFF ARPT DUE TO ENG FAILURE ON CLBOUT AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: THE PLANNED TRIP WAS FROM SMD TO I17 FOLLOWED BY THE RETURN TRIP. PROB STARTED WHEN I DID NOT VISUALLY CHK THE FUEL IN THE TANKS AND RELIED ON THE FUEL INDICATORS WHICH BOTH SHOWED FULL TANKS. THE TRIP TO PIQUA (I17) WAS UNEVENTFUL. HOWEVER, ON THE RETURN TRIP UPON CLBOUT AT 600 FT AGL WE EXPERIENCED A PWR LOSS. TURNED THE ACFT TO AN APPROPRIATE FIELD AND START EMER PROCS. THE R TANK, WHICH WAS USED ON THE FLT DOWN TO PIQUA WAS INDICATING 7/8 FULL, WAS BEING USED SO I SWITCHED TANKS, APPLIED BOOST PUMPS, AND ATTEMPTED RESTART. WITH NOT ENOUGH ALT TO RESTART, AN EMER LNDG TOOK PLACE WITH DAMAGE TO THE FRONT WHEEL FAIRING. AN FAA REPRESENTATIVE SURVEYED THE SIT AND CLASSIFIED IT AS A MINOR INCIDENT. THE ACFT WAS MOVED TO ANOTHER FIELD WITH THE HELP OF THE PROPERTY OWNER, WHERE HE WAS COMPENSATED FOR HIS HELP AND INCONVENIENCE, AND THE ACFT DEPARTED FOR FWA WITH AN APPROPRIATE FERRY PERMIT. THE L TANK WAS FULL. I REMEMBER AFTER THE CRASH THE R FUEL INDICATOR STILL SHOWED 7/8 FULL. I ALSO REMEMBER ON THE INITIAL CHKOUT FOR THE ACFT, THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THE FUEL GAUGES 'DON'T WORK.' FROM THIS POINT FORWARD I WILL ALWAYS VISUALLY CHK THE FUEL QUANTITY NO MATTER HOW INCONVENIENT IT MIGHT BE. THIS WAS THE FIRST AND LAST TIME THAT I HADN'T VISUALLY CHKED THE 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.