SMA FUEL EXHAUSTION LED TO FORCED LNDG AND ACFT DAMAGE. THE PLT HAD ENCOUNTERED CONDITIONS THAT LENGTHENED FLT TIME; BUT DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE FUEL CRITICALITY UNTIL ENG QUIT; 5 NM FROM THE ARPT. FUEL EXHAUSTION. EMER. FORCED LNDG.

Date: 1996-02 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear

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

Synopsis

SMA FUEL EXHAUSTION LED TO FORCED LNDG AND ACFT DAMAGE. THE PLT HAD ENCOUNTERED CONDITIONS THAT LENGTHENED FLT TIME; BUT DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE FUEL CRITICALITY UNTIL ENG QUIT; 5 NM FROM THE ARPT. FUEL EXHAUSTION. EMER. FORCED LNDG.

Narrative

AN OFF-FIELD FORCED LNDG WAS NECESSARY DUE TO LOSS OF PWR AND FULL ENG STOPPAGE WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APCH TO RWY 24 AT FUL. THE ENG LOST PWR DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE FIRST INDICATION OF CRITICAL LOW FUEL OCCURRED APPROX 5 MI FROM THE ARPT. I RAPIDLY SWITCHED TANKS AND ACTIVATED THE FUEL PUMP BOOST SWITCHES AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENG. FLT CONTINUED AND THE ENG ONCE AGAIN LOST PWR AND DIED APPROX 1/2 MI FROM THE RWY. I ATTEMPTED A RESTART AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. I ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO A DEAD- STICK LNDG AT THE ARPT BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALT TO MAKE THE FIELD. THE PLANE WAS NEAR A FULL STALL. I NOSED THE PLANE INTO A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AND LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND. I FOUND A SMALL; TRIANGULAR PIECE OF VACANT LAND AND LANDED WITH GEAR DOWN. THE ROLLOUT INCLUDED HITTING FENCE WITH THE L WING. THE PLANE THEN TURNED 90 DEGS TO THE L AND SKIDDED ON ITS NOSE UNTIL COMING TO A STOP ON THE MAIN GEAR. ALL OCCUPANTS EXITED THE PLANE UNDER THEIR OWN PWR AND HAD NO INJURIES. NO FIRE RESULTED. PLT HAD VERY LITTLE TIME (10 HRS OR LESS) IN THE AIRPLANE TYPE; MODEL; AND SPECIFIC ACFT. STRONG HEADWINDS; BROKEN WX CONDITIONS ON APCH RESULTED IN MORE FLT TIME. PLT FAILED TO 'TOP OFF' WHEN HE FUELED PRIOR TO DEP; AND PLT FAILED TO ACCOMMODATE FOR CONTINGENCIES.

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