AN ATP FLYING AN ANTIQUE WARBIRD SMA HAD AN ENG FAILURE DUE TO FUEL VENT BLOCKAGE. THE PLT LANDED IN A WET COTTON FIELD WITHOUT INJURY OR FURTHER DAMAGE.

Narrative

THE ACFT; AN ANTIQUE WARBIRD SMA; WAS ON A 2 1/2 HR FLT FROM CHINO; CA; TO MERCED; CA; TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL ANTIQUE AIRPLANE FLY-IN. BOTH 60 GALLON FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED. BECAUSE THE R WING APPEARED A LITTLE HVY (DUE TO RIGGING) THE R FUEL TANK WAS SELECTED AND USED UNTIL A DSCNT FROM 4500 FT WAS STARTED AT ABOUT 10 MI S OF THE CHOWCHILLA ARPT. AT THIS POINT; THE L FUEL TANK WAS SELECTED. AT 6 MI PAST CHOWCHILLA; THE ENG STOPPED DELIVERING PWR. THE FUEL PRESSURE INDICATED 0 POUNDS. THE R TANK WAS IMMEDIATELY SELECTED AND THE WOBBLE PUMP WAS OPERATED. ALTHOUGH THE ENG RESPONDED IN BURSTS; IT DID NOT DEVELOP NORMAL PWR. THE L FUEL TANK WAS AGAIN SELECTED AND NO FUEL PRESSURE WAS OBTAINED WITH THE WOBBLE PUMP. THE R FUEL TANK WAS AGAIN SELECTED WITH THE SAME RESULT. SINCE IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE CHOWCHILLA ARPT WAS BEYOND REACH; IT WAS DECIDED TO LAND IN A COTTON FIELD. THE LNDG WAS WITHOUT INJURY TO THE PERSONS ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME. THE FIELD WAS SOFT AND MUDDY SINCE IT WAS IRRIGATED THE SAME MORNING AND IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE AIRPLANE UNTIL THE FIELD DRIED FOR 1 WK. THE AIRPLANE WAS TOWED FROM THE FIELD ON MM/DD/92 TO A NEARBY DRY FIELD AND INSPECTED BY A LICENSED A&P MECH. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE L FUEL VENT WAS PLUGGED BY AN INSECT; POSSIBLY A MUD DOBBER. THE ENG WAS THEN STARTED AND TESTED AND FOUND TO BE AIRWORTHY. THE MECH/PLT THEN TOOK OFF THE AIRPLANE FROM THE NEARBY FIELD AND FLEW IT TO THE HOME BASE AT CHINO; CA; WITHOUT INCIDENT.