Aircraft equipment problem. Apparent fuel starvation, off airport forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	340374
Time
Date	199606
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jau
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 140
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	340374
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Fueled up aircraft at butler, GA, for flight to toledo, oh. Tanks were completely dry. Right tank fuel sump was rusted so that it jammed opened. Worked out sticky sump so that it worked. Tested plane for one pattern, operated satisfactorily. Departed GA at XX30, flight mostly uneventful. VFR, less visibility in mountains. RPM gauge would oscillate plus or minus 400 RPM from time to time. At XX50 approaching jacksboro, campbell county, tn, no contact on unicom. Flew high over field. Dropped down low to look at approach end of runway and status of field. As I crossed past field at approximately 200-300 ft right engine started to sputter. Checked carburetor heat in, was out. Fuel on right tank, verify. Left was already empty. Magnetos on, yes. Engine did not recover. Airspeed went from 85-90 down to approximately stall speed 35-40 prior to impact. Could not maintain altitude. Do not recall RPM other than fluctuations and lower than normal. Determined that at low altitude best option was gentle right turn to field. Realized that field would not be possible. Engine stopped somewhere during this time, I think events became a blur. Aimed for clearing, but couldn't make it. Tried to avoid railway and keep plane level didn't want to cartwheel. No injuries, minimal ground damage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. APPARENT FUEL STARVATION, OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: FUELED UP ACFT AT BUTLER, GA, FOR FLT TO TOLEDO, OH. TANKS WERE COMPLETELY DRY. R TANK FUEL SUMP WAS RUSTED SO THAT IT JAMMED OPENED. WORKED OUT STICKY SUMP SO THAT IT WORKED. TESTED PLANE FOR ONE PATTERN, OPERATED SATISFACTORILY. DEPARTED GA AT XX30, FLT MOSTLY UNEVENTFUL. VFR, LESS VISIBILITY IN MOUNTAINS. RPM GAUGE WOULD OSCILLATE PLUS OR MINUS 400 RPM FROM TIME TO TIME. AT XX50 APCHING JACKSBORO, CAMPBELL COUNTY, TN, NO CONTACT ON UNICOM. FLEW HIGH OVER FIELD. DROPPED DOWN LOW TO LOOK AT APCH END OF RWY AND STATUS OF FIELD. AS I CROSSED PAST FIELD AT APPROX 200-300 FT R ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER. CHKED CARB HEAT IN, WAS OUT. FUEL ON R TANK, VERIFY. L WAS ALREADY EMPTY. MAGNETOS ON, YES. ENG DID NOT RECOVER. AIRSPD WENT FROM 85-90 DOWN TO APPROX STALL SPD 35-40 PRIOR TO IMPACT. COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT. DO NOT RECALL RPM OTHER THAN FLUCTUATIONS AND LOWER THAN NORMAL. DETERMINED THAT AT LOW ALT BEST OPTION WAS GENTLE R TURN TO FIELD. REALIZED THAT FIELD WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. ENG STOPPED SOMEWHERE DURING THIS TIME, I THINK EVENTS BECAME A BLUR. AIMED FOR CLRING, BUT COULDN'T MAKE IT. TRIED TO AVOID RAILWAY AND KEEP PLANE LEVEL DIDN'T WANT TO CARTWHEEL. NO INJURIES, MINIMAL GND DAMAGE.

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.