Narrative:

I recently purchased a completed RV4. I was told that wing tanks held approximately 8-10 gallons when level reached first stringer in tank bottom. Using that information only, I planned a 20-30 min pleasure flight with estimated fuel on board of 1 hour plus 45 min. About 25 mins into flight, power lost, made uneventful emergency landing on interstate 5. At time of power loss, I thought the problem was carburetor icing since conditions were prime and there was a question in-flight whether the carburetor heat linkage was functioning properly. However, when plane was disassembled for transport, there was less than 1 pint of fuel remaining in both wing tanks. The plane was undamaged and was left unattended for only a few hours before the tanks were drained. Likely cause of incident was no fuel due to pilot error, inadequate preflight planning. This will, hopefully, be the last time I take such critical 'information' at face value!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN AMATEUR BUILT ACFT MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG DUE TO ENG FAILURE CAUSED BY FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: I RECENTLY PURCHASED A COMPLETED RV4. I WAS TOLD THAT WING TANKS HELD APPROX 8-10 GALLONS WHEN LEVEL REACHED FIRST STRINGER IN TANK BOTTOM. USING THAT INFO ONLY, I PLANNED A 20-30 MIN PLEASURE FLT WITH ESTIMATED FUEL ON BOARD OF 1 HR PLUS 45 MIN. ABOUT 25 MINS INTO FLT, PWR LOST, MADE UNEVENTFUL EMER LNDG ON INTERSTATE 5. AT TIME OF PWR LOSS, I THOUGHT THE PROB WAS CARBURETOR ICING SINCE CONDITIONS WERE PRIME AND THERE WAS A QUESTION INFLT WHETHER THE CARBURETOR HEAT LINKAGE WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. HOWEVER, WHEN PLANE WAS DISASSEMBLED FOR TRANSPORT, THERE WAS LESS THAN 1 PINT OF FUEL REMAINING IN BOTH WING TANKS. THE PLANE WAS UNDAMAGED AND WAS LEFT UNATTENDED FOR ONLY A FEW HRS BEFORE THE TANKS WERE DRAINED. LIKELY CAUSE OF INCIDENT WAS NO FUEL DUE TO PLT ERROR, INADEQUATE PREFLT PLANNING. THIS WILL, HOPEFULLY, BE THE LAST TIME I TAKE SUCH CRITICAL 'INFO' AT FACE VALUE!

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.