FUEL EXHAUSTION -- OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative

THE ACFT INVOLVED IS A CESSNA 150 WHITE IN COLOR WITH RED ACCENT STRIPES. IT HAS SEAT BELTS AND SHOULDER HARNESSES; IS A FIXED GEAR; FIXED PITCH PROP AIRPLANE WITH; I BELIEVE; AN O-200 ENG. FUEL CONSUMPTION IS 5 GALLONS AN HR AT HIGH THROTTLE. CHAIN OF EVENTS: HOW THE PROB AROSE: AFTER BEING CLRED TO LAND AT ORL ON RWY 07 AND DURING OR AFTER THE TURN TO FINAL THERE WAS A LOSS OF PWR. MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT THE RPM WENT FROM 2300 TO 1700. AT THAT TIME I WAS AT APPROX 1000 FT MSL; EITHER ABOUT TO BE OR ALREADY LINED UP WITH RWY 07 AND 2 TO MI FROM THE ARPT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LACK OF TABS INSIDE THE TANKS OF THE 150. SIPHONING OF FUEL OUT OF TANKS BECAUSE OF WORN SEALS OR NOT FULLY LOCKED GAS CAPS. GASCOLATOR DRAIN NOT SEATING PROPERLY AND CAUSING LEAKAGE OF FUEL IN FLT. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED: WHEN THE ENG RPM WENT TO 1700 AND DID NOT GO TO HIGH RPM EVEN AFTER APPLICATION OF FULL THROTTLE; I DETERMINED THAT THE ENG WAS EXPERIENCING A PWR LOSS. AT THAT TIME I DID NOT KNOW THE REASON FOR THIS PWR LOSS. AT LEAST ONE OF THE FUEL GAUGES WAS INDICATING OVER 1/4 TANK (SHOULD BE APPROX 3 GALLONS). IN MY OPINION THE ACFT'S ENG WAS EXPERIENCING A PARTIAL PWR LOSS. IT DID NOT RESPOND TO FULL THROTTLE. I CALLED THE TWR AND ADVISED IT I HAD A PWR LOSS AND REQUIRED IMMEDIATE RWY (I DID NOT WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER AIRPLANE CLRED TO LAND BEFORE ME AND BE FORCED INTO A GAR SIT). THE RATE OF DSCNT WAS TOO HIGH AND THE ALT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO REACH THE ARPT. I DECIDED TO ATTEMPT A LNDG ON THE E-W EXPRESSWAY. I CALLED THE TWR AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS GOING DOWN ON THE E-W. ONCE THE DECISION WAS MADE; MY ATTN FOCUSED ON LNDG. I SAW THAT THERE WAS AN OPENING BTWN 2 GROUPS OF CARS. I USED THE PWR OF THE ENG AND THE ANGLE OF DSCNT TO MATCH THE GAP WITH THE ACFT. I FLEW OVER ONE SET OF OVERHEAD SIGNS AND BROUGHT THE AIRPLANE DOWN IN THE GAP. I WAS AFRAID THAT THE CARS BEHIND MIGHT RUN INTO THE AIRPLANE IF I SLOWED DOWN. THERE WAS NO ROOM TO TAXI OFF THE ROAD. I APPLIED PWR. THE ENG RESPONDED WITH NO PROB. I KEPT THE NOSEWHEEL OFF THE GND AND CONTINUED IN A HIGH SPD TAXI DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY UNTIL I COULD FIND A RAMP TO TAXI ONTO AND STOP. THE FIRST RAMP WAS SUMMERLIN. A CAR WAS COMING UP THE RAMP. IT WAS TO MY R. IT WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO TAXI IN FRONT OF IT; IT WOULD NOT MOVE OFF MY R WINGTIP AND KEPT BLOWING ITS KLAXON. THE RAMP WAS NOW BEHIND ME. I CONTINUED IN MY HIGH SPD TAXI. NOW THE CARS WERE BEGINNING TO PASS ON MY L AND BLOWING THEIR KLAXONS AS THEY PASSED THE AIRPLANE AND; BELIEVE IT OR NOT; WAVING AT ME. I GOT REAL CONCERNED WHEN SOME OF THE CARS GOT VERY CLOSE TO THE L WINGTIP. I MOVED MORE TO THE R. IT WAS THEN THAT THE R PLASTIC WINGTIP FARING HIT A STREET LIGHT. I MOVED THE AIRPLANE BACK TO THE L. I CONTINUED ON HIGH SPD TAXI UNTIL THE MILLS ON-RAMP. NOBODY WAS COMING UP THE RAMP. I CUT THE PWR; APPLIED BRAKES AND SLOWED TO A HALT ON THE SIDE OF THE RAMP. I PULLED THE MIXTURE CTL KILLING THE ENG. I TURNED OFF THE MAGNETOS; THE MASTER SWITCH AND SHUT OFF THE FUEL SUPPLY. I THEN EXITED THE ACFT AND INSPECTED IT FOR ANY DAMAGE. OTHER THAN THE R WINGTIP THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE. AFTER THE POLICE ARRIVED AND AT THEIR REQUEST; I MOVED THE AIRPLANE FURTHER INTO THE RAMP AND CHOCKED THE WHEELS TO PREVENT A ROLLBACK. THE TANKS ON THE 150 SHOULD ALL BE RETROFITTED WITH TABS TO SHOW 1/2 AND 1/4 FUEL LEVELS. THE GAUGES; AS IS EVIDENT FROM MY CASE; ARE HIGHLY INACCURATE (SHOWING 1/4 FULL). A TRAINER SHOULD HAVE A VISUAL METHOD TO GAUGE FUEL QUANTITY. A STUDENT MIGHT NOT THINK OF THE WOOD DOWEL METHOD. THE GASCOLATOR DRAIN SHOULD; WHEN RELEASED; AUTOMATICALLY GO TO THE CLOSED POS. IF THE LEVER IS NOT SHOVED BACK IN; THE DRAIN REMAINS PARTIALLY OPEN AND FUEL LEAKS. LOW FUEL APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE INITIAL PWR LOSS. WHEN THE BANKING MANEUVER WAS EXECUTED AIR COULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE LINE AND THAT CAUSED THE PWR LOSS. ONCE THE AIRPLANE WAS ON THE GND; I WAS ABLE TO USE HIGH THROTTLE TO MAINTAIN A HIGH SPD TAXI FOR A DISTANCE OF 3/4 TO 1MI ON THE E-W. WHEN THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP; THE ENG WAS RUNNING AND WAS STOPPED BY PULLING THE MIXTURE. ACCORDING TO MY VISUAL INSPECTION AND THE GAUGES; WHEN I LEFT ORL; I HAD AROUND 12 GALLONS (ONE SLIGHTLY OVER AND ONE AT 1/2 OF THE TOTAL FUEL LOAD). MY FLT TO LEEWARD WAS 35 MINS OR A CONSUMPTION OF 3.5 GALLONS. THAT AGREES WITH THE GAUGES AT LEEWARD. THEY READ 1/4 AND 1/2 OR APPROX 9 GALLONS. MY RETURN FLT WAS FLT PLANNED FOR 45 MINS TO ALLOW FOR A HEADWIND. AT A RATE OF CONSUMPTION OF 5 GALLONS AN HR AND ONE TO CLB TO 1000 FT I HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR 1.3 TO 1.5 HRS. I HAD BEEN IN THE AIR FOR APPROX 40 MINS WHEN THE AIRPLANE SUFFERED THE PWR LOSS. FROM ALL THE ABOVE FACTS; I MUST CONCLUDE THAT FUEL WAS LOST DURING THE FLT OR THAT THE GAUGES OR MY VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL IN THE TANKS WAS HIGHLY INACCURATE. I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR A LONG TIME AND IN MY OPINION I WOULD NOT MISJUDGE FUEL (SPECIALLY SINCE I USE A WOOD DOWEL TO ASSESS TANK LEVEL). THEREFORE; I BELIEVE THAT INFLT LOSS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE LOW FUEL.