Citabria pilot made an off airport forced landing on a road after the engine quit due to fuel starva...

Attributes
ACN	532135
Time
Date	200112
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tqe.airport
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Champion Citabria
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	532135
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	maintenance : technician
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : lost engine power ind other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On a trip from north omaha (3NO) to tekahama, northeast (tqe), my engine stopped because of fuel starvation. I landed on a 1-LANE gravel road. This road has very little traffic and no one was disturbed. When preflting, I observed that I had approximately 1/2 a tank in my right tank and a little less than 1/8 in my left. The left tank emptied and the right still had fuel when the engine stopped running. This is plenty of fuel for this trip. With 18-gallon tanks, I had about 11 gallons total and 10 gallons usable. My plane burns 6 gph and the distance between 3NO and tqe is 25 mi or about 20 mins. I had my a&P get me 5 gallons and a highway patrolman assisted me in taking off on the road I had landed on. I flew to tqe and my mechanic fixed the problem. It seems there was a deterioration of the xover vent. This venting system helps xfer the fuel between tanks. This inadvertent event could never have been predicted. I believe my actions were reasonable and safe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CITABRIA PLT MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG ON A ROAD AFTER THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: ON A TRIP FROM NORTH OMAHA (3NO) TO TEKAHAMA, NE (TQE), MY ENG STOPPED BECAUSE OF FUEL STARVATION. I LANDED ON A 1-LANE GRAVEL ROAD. THIS ROAD HAS VERY LITTLE TFC AND NO ONE WAS DISTURBED. WHEN PREFLTING, I OBSERVED THAT I HAD APPROX 1/2 A TANK IN MY R TANK AND A LITTLE LESS THAN 1/8 IN MY L. THE L TANK EMPTIED AND THE R STILL HAD FUEL WHEN THE ENG STOPPED RUNNING. THIS IS PLENTY OF FUEL FOR THIS TRIP. WITH 18-GALLON TANKS, I HAD ABOUT 11 GALLONS TOTAL AND 10 GALLONS USABLE. MY PLANE BURNS 6 GPH AND THE DISTANCE BTWN 3NO AND TQE IS 25 MI OR ABOUT 20 MINS. I HAD MY A&P GET ME 5 GALLONS AND A HWY PATROLMAN ASSISTED ME IN TAKING OFF ON THE ROAD I HAD LANDED ON. I FLEW TO TQE AND MY MECH FIXED THE PROB. IT SEEMS THERE WAS A DETERIORATION OF THE XOVER VENT. THIS VENTING SYS HELPS XFER THE FUEL BTWN TANKS. THIS INADVERTENT EVENT COULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PREDICTED. I BELIEVE MY ACTIONS WERE REASONABLE AND SAFE.

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.

Citabria pilot made an off airport forced landing on a road after the engine quit due to fuel starvation.