<< >> NASA ASRS Report 414937, September 1998

Private pilot in a steen skybolt runs out of gas and performs an emergency landing at a private airport beneath him.

Attributes
ACN	414937
Time
Date	199809
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : olm
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 2638 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	414937
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During cruise flight, engine sputtered twice then quit. Glided to a normal landing at western airpark, a private airport located a convenient 1/2 mi south of my position. After landing, found fuel tank dry. Only one 29 gallon tank. A visual sight glass fuel gauge is installed, as well as a fuel flow computer. Takeoff was with 27 gallons (capacity 29 gallons). Flight time 45 mins. 9.5 gph cruise fuel flow. I can determine 2 possible causes: 1)tank did not have 27 gallons on departure. There was a small 4 inch diameter wet spot under airplane in hangar -- but no blue fuel dye. Ellison carburetor known to drip some when parked. I am the only pilot, and no one has access to hangar but me. Airplane fueled 2 weeks prior. I did not visually check sight gauge before flight since the top 4 inches is not visible. 2) fuel siphoning occurred while in-flight. After refilling tank, some dribbling occurred from a drain vent. There are 5 drains going to a common drain location. A) strainer, B) tank overflow scupper, C) fuel pump vent (mechanical), D) tank sump, east) tank vent. Could not determine which of above was dribbling. Pilot procedures and practices modified as appropriate!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT IN A STEEN SKYBOLT RUNS OUT OF GAS AND PERFORMS AN EMER LNDG AT A PVT ARPT BENEATH HIM.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE FLT, ENG SPUTTERED TWICE THEN QUIT. GLIDED TO A NORMAL LNDG AT WESTERN AIRPARK, A PVT ARPT LOCATED A CONVENIENT 1/2 MI S OF MY POS. AFTER LNDG, FOUND FUEL TANK DRY. ONLY ONE 29 GALLON TANK. A VISUAL SIGHT GLASS FUEL GAUGE IS INSTALLED, AS WELL AS A FUEL FLOW COMPUTER. TKOF WAS WITH 27 GALLONS (CAPACITY 29 GALLONS). FLT TIME 45 MINS. 9.5 GPH CRUISE FUEL FLOW. I CAN DETERMINE 2 POSSIBLE CAUSES: 1)TANK DID NOT HAVE 27 GALLONS ON DEP. THERE WAS A SMALL 4 INCH DIAMETER WET SPOT UNDER AIRPLANE IN HANGAR -- BUT NO BLUE FUEL DYE. ELLISON CARB KNOWN TO DRIP SOME WHEN PARKED. I AM THE ONLY PLT, AND NO ONE HAS ACCESS TO HANGAR BUT ME. AIRPLANE FUELED 2 WKS PRIOR. I DID NOT VISUALLY CHK SIGHT GAUGE BEFORE FLT SINCE THE TOP 4 INCHES IS NOT VISIBLE. 2) FUEL SIPHONING OCCURRED WHILE INFLT. AFTER REFILLING TANK, SOME DRIBBLING OCCURRED FROM A DRAIN VENT. THERE ARE 5 DRAINS GOING TO A COMMON DRAIN LOCATION. A) STRAINER, B) TANK OVERFLOW SCUPPER, C) FUEL PUMP VENT (MECHANICAL), D) TANK SUMP, E) TANK VENT. COULD NOT DETERMINE WHICH OF ABOVE WAS DRIBBLING. PLT PROCS AND PRACTICES MODIFIED AS APPROPRIATE!

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.