Bonanza 35 runs out of fuel when selector fails to move internally from the left tank to the xfeed r...

Attributes
ACN	367965
Time
Date	199703
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dnv
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 19
ASRS Report	367965
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Beechcraft bonanza 35. Approximately 30 mins earlier the pilot moved fuel selector from left tank (which was indicating 1/2 full) to reserve tank. Later investigation showed that the tank selector mechanism did not move. The engine stopped when left tank ran dry. The selector would not move to auxiliary tank or right tank. Could not air restart. Elected to land on pasture near farm house. Landing uneventful. An a&east mechanic finally was able to repos selector. 36 hours later I took off and flew to airport. Examined by above referenced mechanic. Put aircraft up on jack and tested gear and repaired fuel selector. Aircraft flown to home airport with no other problems. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he had just picked up the aircraft that day, purchased from the original owner. The aircraft was a 1947 BE35. Reporter had flown that type 10 yrs before so before accepting this aircraft he paid for a 2 hour session with a CFI in a BE35. The reporter is also a CFI. He said that the previous owner always flew the aircraft on left tank only and would refuel when the 20 gallon left tank was down to 1/2 full. The reporter had selected the auxiliary tank which had 20 gallons in it. After 1/2 hour of flying, the engine quit, still being on the left tank. He had his wife on board as a passenger. The right tank was 1/8 full. After the emergency landing he had a mechanic from a local FBO work on it. It took about 30 mins for that mechanic to free the mechanism. The local FBO pilot flew the aircraft out the next day from a farm road which the local police had blocked off. The only apparent alteration to the aircraft from the incident was a set of dirty tires.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BONANZA 35 RUNS OUT OF FUEL WHEN SELECTOR FAILS TO MOVE INTERNALLY FROM THE L TANK TO THE XFEED RESERVE POS. PLT MAKES A LNDG IN A PASTURE NEAR A FARM HOUSE. L FUEL GAUGE MAY HAVE BEEN IN ERROR ALSO.

Narrative: BEECHCRAFT BONANZA 35. APPROX 30 MINS EARLIER THE PLT MOVED FUEL SELECTOR FROM L TANK (WHICH WAS INDICATING 1/2 FULL) TO RESERVE TANK. LATER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE TANK SELECTOR MECHANISM DID NOT MOVE. THE ENG STOPPED WHEN L TANK RAN DRY. THE SELECTOR WOULD NOT MOVE TO AUX TANK OR R TANK. COULD NOT AIR RESTART. ELECTED TO LAND ON PASTURE NEAR FARM HOUSE. LNDG UNEVENTFUL. AN A&E MECH FINALLY WAS ABLE TO REPOS SELECTOR. 36 HRS LATER I TOOK OFF AND FLEW TO ARPT. EXAMINED BY ABOVE REFED MECH. PUT ACFT UP ON JACK AND TESTED GEAR AND REPAIRED FUEL SELECTOR. ACFT FLOWN TO HOME ARPT WITH NO OTHER PROBS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD JUST PICKED UP THE ACFT THAT DAY, PURCHASED FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE ACFT WAS A 1947 BE35. RPTR HAD FLOWN THAT TYPE 10 YRS BEFORE SO BEFORE ACCEPTING THIS ACFT HE PAID FOR A 2 HR SESSION WITH A CFI IN A BE35. THE RPTR IS ALSO A CFI. HE SAID THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER ALWAYS FLEW THE ACFT ON L TANK ONLY AND WOULD REFUEL WHEN THE 20 GALLON L TANK WAS DOWN TO 1/2 FULL. THE RPTR HAD SELECTED THE AUX TANK WHICH HAD 20 GALLONS IN IT. AFTER 1/2 HR OF FLYING, THE ENG QUIT, STILL BEING ON THE L TANK. HE HAD HIS WIFE ON BOARD AS A PAX. THE R TANK WAS 1/8 FULL. AFTER THE EMER LNDG HE HAD A MECH FROM A LCL FBO WORK ON IT. IT TOOK ABOUT 30 MINS FOR THAT MECH TO FREE THE MECHANISM. THE LCL FBO PLT FLEW THE ACFT OUT THE NEXT DAY FROM A FARM ROAD WHICH THE LCL POLICE HAD BLOCKED OFF. THE ONLY APPARENT ALTERATION TO THE ACFT FROM THE INCIDENT WAS A SET OF DIRTY TIRES.

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.

Bonanza 35 runs out of fuel when selector fails to move internally from the left tank to the xfeed reserve position. Pilot makes a landing in a pasture near a farm house. Left fuel gauge may have been in error also.