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Pilot of survey sel small aircraft tailwheel high wing aircraft ran out of fuel and was forced to make a forced landing on a frozen pond. During the landing the aircraft nosed over causing minor damage to the aircraft. Inspection of the aircraft revealed that fuel was lost from the right tank during flight due to a fuel cap seal leak.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 422220 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199812 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zan airport : snn |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 500 flight time total : 5700 flight time type : 27 |
| ASRS Report | 422220 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : passenger observation : observer |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
After flying for 2 hours on the left tank during a survey flight, I switched to the right tank. After 1.5 hours the engine quit due to fuel starvation. I switched back to the left tank and headed for the closest landing spot. 6 mins later the engine quit for good, and we made a forced landing on a frozen pond. After the airplane was righted and flown back to port alsworth, an inspection revealed fuel stain arcing away from the cap on the right wing. I suspect due to cold temperatures, the gasket did not provide an adequate seal, and during 2 hours of continuous banking and turning, fuel siphoned from the right tank. I suggest for future cold WX operations in aircraft with older style fuel system that you allow more than the legal reserve required.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SURVEY SEL SMA TAILWHEEL HIGH WING ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AND WAS FORCED TO MAKE A FORCED LNDG ON A FROZEN POND. DURING THE LNDG THE ACFT NOSED OVER CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT FUEL WAS LOST FROM THE R TANK DURING FLT DUE TO A FUEL CAP SEAL LEAK.
Narrative: AFTER FLYING FOR 2 HRS ON THE L TANK DURING A SURVEY FLT, I SWITCHED TO THE R TANK. AFTER 1.5 HRS THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. I SWITCHED BACK TO THE L TANK AND HEADED FOR THE CLOSEST LNDG SPOT. 6 MINS LATER THE ENG QUIT FOR GOOD, AND WE MADE A FORCED LNDG ON A FROZEN POND. AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS RIGHTED AND FLOWN BACK TO PORT ALSWORTH, AN INSPECTION REVEALED FUEL STAIN ARCING AWAY FROM THE CAP ON THE R WING. I SUSPECT DUE TO COLD TEMPS, THE GASKET DID NOT PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE SEAL, AND DURING 2 HRS OF CONTINUOUS BANKING AND TURNING, FUEL SIPHONED FROM THE R TANK. I SUGGEST FOR FUTURE COLD WX OPS IN ACFT WITH OLDER STYLE FUEL SYS THAT YOU ALLOW MORE THAN THE LEGAL RESERVE REQUIRED.
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.