PLT OF SMA MADE OFF ARPT LNDG WHEN ENG QUIT FROM FUEL STARVATION SHORT OF RWY AT TUS.
Synopsis
PLT OF SMA MADE OFF ARPT LNDG WHEN ENG QUIT FROM FUEL STARVATION SHORT OF RWY AT TUS.
Narrative
A SATISFACTORY PREFLT WX BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED AND A FLT PLAN WAS FILED FOR BOTH LEGS OF THE TUCSON-EL PASO-TUCSON ROUND TRIP. FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS CALCULATED AND FOUND TO BE ADEQUATE AND WITH PROPER RESERVES FOR THE ROUND TRIP FLT. ACFT LOGS AND PAPERWORK WERE INSPECTED AND WERE CORRECT. THE L FUEL GAUGE WAS INOPERABLE BUT SINCE I DO NOT RELY ON FUEL GAUGES; I DECIDED TO FLY THE TRIP. THE LEG TO EL PASO WAS UNEVENTFUL AND THE FUEL TANKS WERE DIPPED AND FOUND TO CONTAIN ADEQUATE FUEL FOR THE RETURN LEG WITH RESERVES. A SHORT DISTANCE OUTSIDE OF TUCSON THE R FUEL GAUGE BEGAN TO INDICATE A RAPIDLY DECREASING FUEL SUPPLY AND IN FACT WENT TO A 0 READING. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POH THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS LEFT ON 'BOTH' AS IT HAD BEEN FOR THE ENTIRE FLT UP TO THAT TIME. WHILE APPROX 2 MI OUT ON A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO TUCSON INTL 29R THE ENG SPUTTERED AND THEN QUIT. SINCE THE R FUEL GAUGE HAD DECREASED TO 0; I SWITCHED TO THE L TANK; CHKED MIXTURE RICH; MAGNETOS ON BOTH; MASTER ON; WHILE BEGINNING TO SET UP FOR AN EMER LNDG. I BRIEFED MY PAX ON THE EMER LNDG; NOTIFIED TWR OF MY INTENTIONS AND LANDED THE ACFT NEAR A PAVED ROAD (UNABLE TO REACH THE ROAD) ON A GENERALLY SOUTHERLY HDG. THE ACFT RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE L WING AND WING TIP; SPINNER; PROP AND LOWER COWLING. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INQUIRIES AND NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OTHER THAN TO THE ACFT. AFTER SECURING THE ACFT; I CHKED THE FUEL TANKS AND FOUND THE R TANK TO BE DRY WHILE THE L TANK CONTAINED BTWN 12 AND 15 GALLONS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE FUEL STARVATION OCCURRED AS WE WERE IN LEVEL DSNDING FLT WITH ADEQUATE FUEL IN THE L MAIN WITH THE SELECTOR ON BOTH AT THE TIME OF ENG STOPPAGE. I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT ALL OF MY ACTIONS REGARDING THE PREPARATION FOR AND CONDUCT OF THIS FLT WERE PROPER AND THAT I DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE AND INJURY AFTER THE FAILURE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.