GA small aircraft forced landing when fuel was exhausted from left main tank. Right main had 9 gallo...

Attributes
ACN	83782
Time
Date	198803
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna tower : sna
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 38 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	83782
Person 2
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

6 mi out of sna inbound experienced engine miss and rough operation. Turned on fuel pump and switched fuel tanks. No effect. Returned to original tank. Still no improvement. 2 mi out engine stopped. Reported at 6 mi out of problem, vectored for immediate landing on 19L (coast approach 121.3). 2 mi out engine stopped. Reported engine stoppage. Unable to make runway 19L. Forced landing on taxiway alpha. No damage to aircraft or other aircraft. No traffic on alpha taxiway. Notified tower that I had landed intentionally on taxiway alpha due to insufficient altitude and airspeed. Fuel was calculated at takeoff for 40 mins reserve. Fuel quantity indicated 9 gals remaining. Visual conformation of fuel on ground after landing. I believe fuel quantity was reading high when tank was in fact empty. Switching to other main tank with 9 gals remaining was not in time to recover engine operations on short final. Remedy check and calibrate fuel quantity indicator and transmitters. Left main tank appeared to be tank with the most fuel yet right main tank visually had more fuel, 9 gals, and left appeared empty.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FORCED LNDG WHEN FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED FROM LEFT MAIN TANK. RIGHT MAIN HAD 9 GALLONS REMAINING BUT GAUGE INDICATED EMPTY.

Narrative: 6 MI OUT OF SNA INBND EXPERIENCED ENG MISS AND ROUGH OPERATION. TURNED ON FUEL PUMP AND SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. NO EFFECT. RETURNED TO ORIGINAL TANK. STILL NO IMPROVEMENT. 2 MI OUT ENG STOPPED. RPTED AT 6 MI OUT OF PROB, VECTORED FOR IMMEDIATE LNDG ON 19L (COAST APCH 121.3). 2 MI OUT ENG STOPPED. RPTED ENG STOPPAGE. UNABLE TO MAKE RWY 19L. FORCED LNDG ON TXWY ALPHA. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR OTHER ACFT. NO TFC ON ALPHA TXWY. NOTIFIED TWR THAT I HAD LANDED INTENTIONALLY ON TXWY ALPHA DUE TO INSUFFICIENT ALT AND AIRSPD. FUEL WAS CALCULATED AT TKOF FOR 40 MINS RESERVE. FUEL QUANTITY INDICATED 9 GALS REMAINING. VISUAL CONFORMATION OF FUEL ON GND AFTER LNDG. I BELIEVE FUEL QUANTITY WAS READING HIGH WHEN TANK WAS IN FACT EMPTY. SWITCHING TO OTHER MAIN TANK WITH 9 GALS REMAINING WAS NOT IN TIME TO RECOVER ENG OPS ON SHORT FINAL. REMEDY CHK AND CALIBRATE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR AND XMITTERS. LEFT MAIN TANK APPEARED TO BE TANK WITH THE MOST FUEL YET RIGHT MAIN TANK VISUALLY HAD MORE FUEL, 9 GALS, AND LEFT APPEARED EMPTY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

GA small aircraft forced landing when fuel was exhausted from left main tank. Right main had 9 gallons remaining but gauge indicated empty.