PLT OF AN SMA SINGLE ENG LAND ATX ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL DURING DSCNT AND APCH AND WAS FORCED TO LAND WHEELS UP OFF ARPT RESULTING IN NO INJURIES AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

1993-04 · NASA ASRS report 238909

Date: 1993-04 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|inflight-event-encounter-cftt-cfit|other-unspecified

Synopsis

PLT OF AN SMA SINGLE ENG LAND ATX ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL DURING DSCNT AND APCH AND WAS FORCED TO LAND WHEELS UP OFF ARPT RESULTING IN NO INJURIES AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative

I EXPERIENCED ENG FAILURE ABOUT 10 NM SW OF THE BILLINGS; MT; LOGAN FIELD ARPT AND APPROX 4 NM N OF THE LAUREL; MT; MUNICIPAL ARPT. MY ALT WAS 7500 MSL. FUEL PRESSURE WAS LOW; SO I TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP. I GOT MOMENTARY PWR BUT THE ENG QUIT AGAIN. I CHKED THE FUEL GAUGES AND BOTH TANKS INDICATED EMPTY. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON BOTH TANKS. I ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO LAUREL ARPT BUT WAS UNABLE AND LANDED GEAR UP IN A SMALL FIELD ABOUT 2 NM N OF LAUREL ARPT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO MYSELF OR MY PAX. THE FLT WAS FROM BILLINGS; MT; TO ANACONDA; MT; AND RETURN. I PERSONALLY LOOKED INTO BOTH FUEL TANKS BEFORE DEP FROM BILLINGS; MT; AND ESTIMATED THAT THERE WAS BTWN 65 AND 75 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE TANKS. AT 15 GALLONS PER HR; THAT WOULD EQUAL 4 HRS AND 20 MINS TO 5 HRS OF FUEL. NORMAL TRIP TIME IS 3 HRS. HOBBS TIME TO THE ENG FAILURE WAS 2.7 HRS. TOTAL FUEL CAPACITY FOR THE ACFT IS 85 GALLONS USABLE. BEFORE LNDG IN ANACONDA; MT; THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED OVER 1/2 TANK IN EACH SIDE. ON DEP FROM ANACONDA; MT; FOR BILLINGS; MT; THEY STILL INDICATED 1/2 TANK ON EACH SIDE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I DID NOT MONITOR THE FUEL GAUGES CLOSELY ENOUGH. THE FUEL GAUGES ARE LOCATED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PEDESTAL OUT OF THE PLT'S NORMAL SCAN. FUEL LEAK OR UNUSUAL FUEL CONSUMPTION. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE; CONTINUALLY MONITOR ALL GAUGES ESPECIALLY THE FUEL GAUGES.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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