Engine failure. Forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	98825
Time
Date	198811
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 7ko airport : 7k0
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 225 flight time type : 145
ASRS Report	98825
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At 5500', 6 mi from 7KO, the engine stopped. After setting best glide and emergency procedures I tried to restart. Fuel gauges showed 1/4 tanks. I selected both and left and right with no effect. I could not make the field, so I made a forced landing. When I departed hagerstown, md, I had tanks topped off. While I watched the lineman fuel the plane I did not look myself, but the gauges which had been fairly accurate read full. I based my flight time on 38 gals usable. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: FAA inspected aircraft 2 days after forced landing. Told reporter they were finished, released aircraft, then went back and removed carburetor and with stick picked up at sight measured fuel in tanks. Wings then removed, fuselage removed to where engine tested. Engine did start up. Reporter knew area well so followed railroad tracks and hoped he would find clear field nearby. Approach at very slow speed, wings clipped low shrub like trees. Damaged wings, flipped aircraft upside down, damaged tail assembly. Fuselage intact. No injuries. FAA sent letter of possible violation of far's. Did not state which far's involved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE FAILURE. FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: AT 5500', 6 MI FROM 7KO, THE ENG STOPPED. AFTER SETTING BEST GLIDE AND EMER PROCS I TRIED TO RESTART. FUEL GAUGES SHOWED 1/4 TANKS. I SELECTED BOTH AND LEFT AND RIGHT WITH NO EFFECT. I COULD NOT MAKE THE FIELD, SO I MADE A FORCED LNDG. WHEN I DEPARTED HAGERSTOWN, MD, I HAD TANKS TOPPED OFF. WHILE I WATCHED THE LINEMAN FUEL THE PLANE I DID NOT LOOK MYSELF, BUT THE GAUGES WHICH HAD BEEN FAIRLY ACCURATE READ FULL. I BASED MY FLT TIME ON 38 GALS USABLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: FAA INSPECTED ACFT 2 DAYS AFTER FORCED LNDG. TOLD RPTR THEY WERE FINISHED, RELEASED ACFT, THEN WENT BACK AND REMOVED CARBURETOR AND WITH STICK PICKED UP AT SIGHT MEASURED FUEL IN TANKS. WINGS THEN REMOVED, FUSELAGE REMOVED TO WHERE ENG TESTED. ENG DID START UP. RPTR KNEW AREA WELL SO FOLLOWED RAILROAD TRACKS AND HOPED HE WOULD FIND CLEAR FIELD NEARBY. APCH AT VERY SLOW SPD, WINGS CLIPPED LOW SHRUB LIKE TREES. DAMAGED WINGS, FLIPPED ACFT UPSIDE DOWN, DAMAGED TAIL ASSEMBLY. FUSELAGE INTACT. NO INJURIES. FAA SENT LETTER OF POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF FAR'S. DID NOT STATE WHICH FAR'S INVOLVED.

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.