SMA HAS FUEL TRANSFER PROBLEM. EXPERIENCES FUEL STARVATION. FORCED LNDG.

Narrative

ACFT SMA EQUIPPED WITH AUX TIP TANKS (15 GALLONS EACH) FUELED TO 90 GALLONS TOTAL. R TIP 15/MAIN 30 L TIP 15/MAIN 30. ACFT MADE 1 SHORT 15 MIN FLT; THEN LEFT N63 (SUSSEX; NJ) WITH 85 GALLONS FUEL. ACFT WAS FLOWN AT 75 PERCENT PWR 1 HR ON TIPS THEN 1 HR ON MAINS. ACFT ENG SUDDENLY STOPPED. CONTACT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MADE WITH ARSA CTLRS WHO WERE TOLD OF TROUBLE; ACFT VECTORED AWAY FROM CANTON AREA TOWARD DIRT STRIP (SUNSET STRIP). ALTHOUGH THIS EFFORT WAS NEARLY SUCCESSFUL; I RAN OUT OF ALT AND LANDED IN A SOYBEAN FIELD. NO DAMAGE; AND AFTER INSPECTION BY A AND P THE ACFT WAS FLOWN TO SUNSET STRIP AND THEN TO N63. OHIO STATE POLICE VERIFY THAT BOTH TIP TANKS WERE FULL TO TOP UPON LNDG (MORE FUEL THAN AT TKOF IN SUSSEX). MAIN TANKS WERE EMPTY. ACFT HAD BEEN WORKED ON PREVIOUSLY TO CORRECT LEAK IN FUEL LINE TO TIP TANK. THIS WAS TESTED AND FOUND OK. FUEL SELECTOR VALVE HAD PLAY AND FUEL WOULD DRAIN FROM TIP TO MAIN WHEN ACFT WAS ON GND. WHEN FAA INSPECTED ACFT THE FOLLOWING DAY OF INCIDENT; FUEL HAD DRAINED FROM TIP TO MAIN. I HAD NOT USED TIPS BECAUSE OF AN OBVIOUS LEAK. WHEN LEAK WAS FIXED AND TESTED I BELIEVED THAT ALL PROBLEMS HAD BEEN CORRECTED. I HAVE OWNED THIS ACFT FOR 6 MONTHS. I HAD RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 13 HRS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION IN THIS ACFT IN LAST 6 MONTHS; 1.5 HRS OF EMER PROCS INCLUDING ENG OUT.