Narrative:

My glasair super ii ft has 2 fuel tanks. The wing tank holds 44 gals and is one continuous tank. The second tank is an 8 gal header tank located between the engine and cockpit. This 8 gal tank is very seldom used; as our wing tank gives us over 4 hours of flight time. When I departed ZZZ to ZZZ1 for refueling; I selected the 8 gal header tank. I topped off both tanks at ZZZ1; departed to a pleasure ride; and when the selected header tank went dry in the traffic pattern; I switched on the auxiliary fuel pump but in the excitement of the backfiring and sputtering engine; forgot to switch tanks. Because we so seldom use this tank; I had been complacently just turning on the auxiliary fuel pump when I performed my pre-landing gumps (gas; undercarriage; mixture; propellers and seat belts) and takeoff checklist. Therefore when I had an actual emergency; the fuel selector got missed! Solution for correcting this event is: include the fuel pump and fuel selector position in the gumps; takeoff checklist; and emergency procedures. As an added reminder I have created a 4x4 inch hot pink card that reads...caution -- header tank in use. This card will be attached to our checklist and anytime in flight or on the ground; the fuel selector is set to 'header tank;' this card will be prominently displayed on the instrument panel. Fortunately; I did not try getting back to the airport and made an emergency off field landing in a field. The crops were about 8 inches high; and the landing created no injury or damage to the aircraft with the exception to 2 wheel pants attach brackets; which are a very easy repair.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GLASAIR II PLT USING THE AUX FUEL TANK RAN THE ENG OUT OF FUEL AND LANDED OFF FIELD AFTER HE FORGOT TO SELECT THE FULL WING TANK FOR HIS FUEL SOURCE.

Narrative: MY GLASAIR SUPER II FT HAS 2 FUEL TANKS. THE WING TANK HOLDS 44 GALS AND IS ONE CONTINUOUS TANK. THE SECOND TANK IS AN 8 GAL HEADER TANK LOCATED BTWN THE ENG AND COCKPIT. THIS 8 GAL TANK IS VERY SELDOM USED; AS OUR WING TANK GIVES US OVER 4 HRS OF FLT TIME. WHEN I DEPARTED ZZZ TO ZZZ1 FOR REFUELING; I SELECTED THE 8 GAL HEADER TANK. I TOPPED OFF BOTH TANKS AT ZZZ1; DEPARTED TO A PLEASURE RIDE; AND WHEN THE SELECTED HEADER TANK WENT DRY IN THE TFC PATTERN; I SWITCHED ON THE AUX FUEL PUMP BUT IN THE EXCITEMENT OF THE BACKFIRING AND SPUTTERING ENG; FORGOT TO SWITCH TANKS. BECAUSE WE SO SELDOM USE THIS TANK; I HAD BEEN COMPLACENTLY JUST TURNING ON THE AUX FUEL PUMP WHEN I PERFORMED MY PRE-LNDG GUMPS (GAS; UNDERCARRIAGE; MIXTURE; PROPS AND SEAT BELTS) AND TKOF CHKLIST. THEREFORE WHEN I HAD AN ACTUAL EMER; THE FUEL SELECTOR GOT MISSED! SOLUTION FOR CORRECTING THIS EVENT IS: INCLUDE THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SELECTOR POS IN THE GUMPS; TKOF CHKLIST; AND EMER PROCS. AS AN ADDED REMINDER I HAVE CREATED A 4X4 INCH HOT PINK CARD THAT READS...CAUTION -- HEADER TANK IN USE. THIS CARD WILL BE ATTACHED TO OUR CHKLIST AND ANYTIME IN FLT OR ON THE GND; THE FUEL SELECTOR IS SET TO 'HEADER TANK;' THIS CARD WILL BE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED ON THE INST PANEL. FORTUNATELY; I DID NOT TRY GETTING BACK TO THE ARPT AND MADE AN EMER OFF FIELD LNDG IN A FIELD. THE CROPS WERE ABOUT 8 INCHES HIGH; AND THE LNDG CREATED NO INJURY OR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WITH THE EXCEPTION TO 2 WHEEL PANTS ATTACH BRACKETS; WHICH ARE A VERY EASY REPAIR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.