ACFT SUFFERING AN APPARENT FUEL LEAK RUNS OUT OF FUEL AND MAKES AN OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative

ACFT WAS FUELED AND PREFLTED IN PREPARATION FOR A FERRY FLT TO CMH ARPT THAT DAY. I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING; PLANNED THE FLT; AND FILED A VFR FLT PLAN WITH NASHVILLE FSS OVER THE DUAT SYS IN THE FBO OFFICE. THE FUELER TOPPED OFF THE TANKS. AS I PREPARED TO START THE ENG; MY GENERAL MGR WALKED OUT TO SEE ME OFF. AT THAT TIME; HE NOTICED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE R WING SUMP DRAIN. HE PULLED THE VALVE DOWN WHICH APPEARED TO STOP THE FUEL LEAK. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING THE BNA ARSA; I ACTIVATED MY VFR FLT PLAN WITH NASHVILLE FSS; TIME OFF AT XA30Z. I ATTAINED MY PLANNED CRUISING ALT OF 3500 FT MSL WITHIN 5 MINS AFTER DEP. UPON LEVELING OFF; I PWRED BACK TO 2400- 2500 RPM; AND LEANED THE MIXTURE FOR CRUISE. DURING THE FLT; I RELEANED THE MIXTURE ONCE. THE FLT WENT ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE AND MY ATE'S COINCIDED WITH MY ETE'S. AROUND THE CINCINNATI ARSA; I WAS VECTORED SLIGHTLY FROM MY COURSE; RESULTING IN AN APPROX 5 MIN DIVERSION FROM MY PLAN. AFTER CONTACTING COLUMBUS APCH WITH MY INTENTIONS TO LAND; DURING VECTORS TO THE ARPT; THE ACFT ENG SPUTTERED AND STOPPED. I NOTIFIED COLUMBUS APCH THAT I WAS GOING TO LAND IN A FIELD. THE LNDG OCCURRED IN A FIELD APPROX 10 NM FROM PORT COLUMBUS ARPT (APPROX 26.5 NM FIX OFF THE 228 DEG RADIAL FROM THE APE VOR). THE FORCED LNDG WAS PERFECT; AND CAUSED NO DAMAGE OR INJURY TO MYSELF OR THE ACFT. THE FLT TIME OF THE ACFT COMPUTES TO BE 2:58. COLUMBUS FAA PERSONNEL NOTED THAT THE R FUEL SUMP DRAIN; WHEN OPENED; WAS COMPLETELY DRY; AND NO FUEL REMAINED IN THE R TANK. THE L TANK WAS MEASURED TO HAVE MORE FUEL THAN THE R. THE LOWEST LINE TO THE ENG WAS TESTED AND SHOWN TO BE DRY; BUT I HAD CLOSED THE FUEL VALVE DURING THE EMER PREPARATION FOR THE FORCED LNDG. AFTER COMPLETING THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK FOR THE AUTHORITIES; AND AFTER THE FAA HAD DETERMINED THE ACFT WAS IN A SAFE CONDITION TO FLY OUT OF THE FIELD; FUELING WAS ARRANGED AND I FLEW THE ACFT OUT OF THE FIELD TO PORT COLUMBUS INTL ARPT. IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF THAT THE ACFT LEAKED FUEL FROM THE R WING SUMP DRAIN WHILE IN FLT; CAUSING THE ACFT TO PREMATURELY RUN OUT OF FUEL. MY FUEL PLANNING FOR THE FLT; USING THE MANUFACTURER'S PERFORMANCE CHART WAS AS FOLLOWS: TKOF WITH 4.3 HRS FUEL ON BOARD. FUEL EXHAUSTED IN 3 HRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THAT THERE WAS ABOUT 2 INCHES OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE L TANK AFTER THE FORCED LNDG. THE FOLLOWING DAY; ANOTHER PLT WAS FERRYING THE ACFT SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED EXCEPT THAT IT WAS AT NIGHT AND THE ACFT WAS TOTALED. THE FAA IS AFTER HIM IN A SERIOUS WAY.