ACFT EQUIP PROB. APPARENT FUEL STARVATION; OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG.
Synopsis
ACFT EQUIP PROB. APPARENT FUEL STARVATION; OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG.
Narrative
FUELED UP ACFT AT BUTLER; GA; FOR FLT TO TOLEDO; OH. TANKS WERE COMPLETELY DRY. R TANK FUEL SUMP WAS RUSTED SO THAT IT JAMMED OPENED. WORKED OUT STICKY SUMP SO THAT IT WORKED. TESTED PLANE FOR ONE PATTERN; OPERATED SATISFACTORILY. DEPARTED GA AT XX30; FLT MOSTLY UNEVENTFUL. VFR; LESS VISIBILITY IN MOUNTAINS. RPM GAUGE WOULD OSCILLATE PLUS OR MINUS 400 RPM FROM TIME TO TIME. AT XX50 APCHING JACKSBORO; CAMPBELL COUNTY; TN; NO CONTACT ON UNICOM. FLEW HIGH OVER FIELD. DROPPED DOWN LOW TO LOOK AT APCH END OF RWY AND STATUS OF FIELD. AS I CROSSED PAST FIELD AT APPROX 200-300 FT R ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER. CHKED CARB HEAT IN; WAS OUT. FUEL ON R TANK; VERIFY. L WAS ALREADY EMPTY. MAGNETOS ON; YES. ENG DID NOT RECOVER. AIRSPD WENT FROM 85-90 DOWN TO APPROX STALL SPD 35-40 PRIOR TO IMPACT. COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT. DO NOT RECALL RPM OTHER THAN FLUCTUATIONS AND LOWER THAN NORMAL. DETERMINED THAT AT LOW ALT BEST OPTION WAS GENTLE R TURN TO FIELD. REALIZED THAT FIELD WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. ENG STOPPED SOMEWHERE DURING THIS TIME; I THINK EVENTS BECAME A BLUR. AIMED FOR CLRING; BUT COULDN'T MAKE IT. TRIED TO AVOID RAILWAY AND KEEP PLANE LEVEL DIDN'T WANT TO CARTWHEEL. NO INJURIES; MINIMAL GND DAMAGE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.