Pilot of a bellanca 8KCAB, decathlon, ran out of fuel during return flight to home base and had to l...

Attributes
ACN	336306
Time
Date	199605
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : enw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : enw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Decathlon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 470 flight time type : 360
ASRS Report	336306
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a return flight to my home base, enw, the engine could not maintain adequate power to maintain altitude, requiring a ldng in an alfalfa field. Upon inspection it was discovered the fuel tanks were nearly empty. I had my mechanic inspect the aircraft, determine it to be airworthy, obtained aviation fuel, did a ground power check, and flew it from the field. Prior to the initial takeoff, I completed a preflight and twice observed the fuel gauge to indicate nearly full tanks. The fuel gauge on my 1975 bellanca 8KCAB is a rotating drum type gauge located in a dimly lit and recessed area of the right wing root. This gauge can be confusing to read due to the position of the grommets and markings. When the tanks are nearly full, or nearly empty, the gauge appears to read the same and the indicators can be obscured. The gauges on the newer american champion decathlons (8KCAB) have been replaced with dial type fuel gauges that are more easily read. For any aircraft with this type of fuel gauge, I would recommend using a flashlight -- even in bright light -- to be sure of an accurate reading. Better yet, would be to always put a stick to the tanks to verify fuel presence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A BELLANCA 8KCAB, DECATHLON, RAN OUT OF FUEL DURING RETURN FLT TO HOME BASE AND HAD TO LAND SHORT IN AN ALFALFA FIELD.

Narrative: DURING A RETURN FLT TO MY HOME BASE, ENW, THE ENG COULD NOT MAINTAIN ADEQUATE PWR TO MAINTAIN ALT, REQUIRING A LDNG IN AN ALFALFA FIELD. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THE FUEL TANKS WERE NEARLY EMPTY. I HAD MY MECH INSPECT THE ACFT, DETERMINE IT TO BE AIRWORTHY, OBTAINED AVIATION FUEL, DID A GND PWR CHK, AND FLEW IT FROM THE FIELD. PRIOR TO THE INITIAL TKOF, I COMPLETED A PREFLT AND TWICE OBSERVED THE FUEL GAUGE TO INDICATE NEARLY FULL TANKS. THE FUEL GAUGE ON MY 1975 BELLANCA 8KCAB IS A ROTATING DRUM TYPE GAUGE LOCATED IN A DIMLY LIT AND RECESSED AREA OF THE R WING ROOT. THIS GAUGE CAN BE CONFUSING TO READ DUE TO THE POS OF THE GROMMETS AND MARKINGS. WHEN THE TANKS ARE NEARLY FULL, OR NEARLY EMPTY, THE GAUGE APPEARS TO READ THE SAME AND THE INDICATORS CAN BE OBSCURED. THE GAUGES ON THE NEWER AMERICAN CHAMPION DECATHLONS (8KCAB) HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH DIAL TYPE FUEL GAUGES THAT ARE MORE EASILY READ. FOR ANY ACFT WITH THIS TYPE OF FUEL GAUGE, I WOULD RECOMMEND USING A FLASHLIGHT -- EVEN IN BRIGHT LIGHT -- TO BE SURE OF AN ACCURATE READING. BETTER YET, WOULD BE TO ALWAYS PUT A STICK TO THE TANKS TO VERIFY FUEL PRESENCE.

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.

Pilot of a bellanca 8KCAB, decathlon, ran out of fuel during return flight to home base and had to land short in an alfalfa field.