An small aircraft pilot ran out of gas when he neglected to refuel or use a dipstick to check the fu...

Attributes
ACN	384527
Time
Date	199711
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : haf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
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 pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	384527
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft ran low or out of fuel and I was forced to make an off field landing. The landing was made in a field area with use of a narrow dirt road. No apparent structural damage to aircraft. 3 factors led to this condition. Aircraft was not topped off after a .9 hour previous flight and I didn't notice it wasn't full when I checked fuel level at the wing. (I should have used a dipstick rather then rely on a visual.) the fuel gauge on the left tank read 1/4 when gas was actually empty. As a precautionary measure during flight I ran right tank for 1 hour then switched to both expecting at least 1 further hour of operation. The incident occurred 50 mins after switching, indicating a possible flow by of the tank switch valve. FAA was notified and permission to takeoff after fueling, permission from property owner and an inspection by a qualified mechanic was granted. WX conditions extended the length of this flight by approximately 1/2 hour. As pilot of this flight I take full responsibility for the incident and will certainly leave myself more room for margin of error in the future. Once the problem occurred I feel that my actions in this landing were appropriate and feel fortunate that I've had expert instruction over the yrs to facilitate this type landing. The owners are still in the process of evaluating this aircraft for airworhtiness and I am confident that they will be sure of it before further flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN HE NEGLECTED TO REFUEL OR USE A DIPSTICK TO CHK THE FUEL IN THE TANKS.

Narrative: ACFT RAN LOW OR OUT OF FUEL AND I WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN OFF FIELD LNDG. THE LNDG WAS MADE IN A FIELD AREA WITH USE OF A NARROW DIRT ROAD. NO APPARENT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO ACFT. 3 FACTORS LED TO THIS CONDITION. ACFT WAS NOT TOPPED OFF AFTER A .9 HR PREVIOUS FLT AND I DIDN'T NOTICE IT WASN'T FULL WHEN I CHKED FUEL LEVEL AT THE WING. (I SHOULD HAVE USED A DIPSTICK RATHER THEN RELY ON A VISUAL.) THE FUEL GAUGE ON THE L TANK READ 1/4 WHEN GAS WAS ACTUALLY EMPTY. AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE DURING FLT I RAN R TANK FOR 1 HR THEN SWITCHED TO BOTH EXPECTING AT LEAST 1 FURTHER HR OF OP. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED 50 MINS AFTER SWITCHING, INDICATING A POSSIBLE FLOW BY OF THE TANK SWITCH VALVE. FAA WAS NOTIFIED AND PERMISSION TO TKOF AFTER FUELING, PERMISSION FROM PROPERTY OWNER AND AN INSPECTION BY A QUALIFIED MECH WAS GRANTED. WX CONDITIONS EXTENDED THE LENGTH OF THIS FLT BY APPROX 1/2 HR. AS PLT OF THIS FLT I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INCIDENT AND WILL CERTAINLY LEAVE MYSELF MORE ROOM FOR MARGIN OF ERROR IN THE FUTURE. ONCE THE PROB OCCURRED I FEEL THAT MY ACTIONS IN THIS LNDG WERE APPROPRIATE AND FEEL FORTUNATE THAT I'VE HAD EXPERT INSTRUCTION OVER THE YRS TO FACILITATE THIS TYPE LNDG. THE OWNERS ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING THIS ACFT FOR AIRWORHTINESS AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL BE SURE OF IT BEFORE FURTHER FLT.

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.

An small aircraft pilot ran out of gas when he neglected to refuel or use a dipstick to check the fuel in the tanks.