A BEECH D17 STAGGER WING PLT RUNS OUT OF FUEL FROM THE CTR SUMP TANK AND IS UNABLE TO GET FUEL PRESSURE FROM THE LOWER WING TANK IN TIME TO RESTART HIS ENG. HE MAKES A NIGHT; OFF ARPT; EMER GEAR UP LNDG.

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I EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION OF THE MAIN FUSELAGE/SUMP TANK WHILE TURNING FINAL TO RWY 26L AT CNO. THIS HAPPENED WITH GEAR AND FLAPS DOWN WHICH; TOGETHER WITH A WINDMILLING PROP RESULTED IN A HIGH SINK RATE. I SWITCHED BACK TO THE L LOWER WING TANK; BUT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME OR ALT TO REGAIN FUEL PRESSURE; SO I PULLED THE GEAR HANDLE UP; TURNED ON THE LNDG LIGHTS AND EXECUTED A SUCCESSFUL OFF-ARPT LNDG IN A COW PASTURE ABOUT 1/2 MI SHORT OF RWY 26L AT CNO AT XX25 PM. MY WIFE AND I HAD DEPARTED CNO TO EDW ON OCT/XX/97; WITH FULL LOWER WING TANKS (23 GALS EACH) AND A FULL FUSELAGE/MAIN/SUMP TANK (29 GALS); TOTAL OF 75 GALS. AT A NORMAL CRUISE OF 21 GPH THIS SHOULD GIVE A NOMINAL 3 1/2 HR ENDURANCE. FLT TIME TO EDW WAS ABOUT 30 MINS PLUS 15 MINS TAXI TIME. OUR ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO FLY DIRECTLY BACK TO CNO FROM EDW ON SUNDAY SO OUR FUEL SUPPLY WAS AMPLE. WHILE AT EDW WE MET A FRIEND WHO NEEDED A RIDE TO CRQ. I CALCULATED WE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST 2 1/2 HRS FUEL LEFT IN THE AIRPLANE AND THAT TAKING HIM TO CRQ WOULD INCREASE OUR FLT TIME BY ABOUT 1 HR TO A TOTAL OF 1 1/2 HRS; LEAVING A 1 HR RESERVE ON ARR AT CNO; ALSO; THE LIGHT ACFT DEP WAS SCHEDULED FOR AB30 SO EVEN ALLOWING FOR A 30 MIN SLIP TO AC00 WE SHOULD ARRIVE BACK AT CNO AT ABOUT AD30 WHILE STILL IN TWILIGHT. I INTEND TO CONSIDER IN MY REPAIRED AIRPLANE A SEPARATE LOW LEVEL WARNING LIGHT FOR THE FUSELAGE/SUMP TANK. THIS IS COMMON ON MANY MIL ACFT I HAVE FLOWN; PARTICULARLY WHERE MULTIPLE TANKS XFER AUTOMATICALLY INTO A SUMP WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE KEPT FULL. AN INDEPENDENT LOW LEVEL WARNING FOR THE SUMP TANK WOULD HAVE GOT MY ATTN CAUSING ME TO SWITCH BACK TO THE L LOWER WING TANK EARLIER AT A HIGH ENOUGH ALT TO RESTORE FUEL PRESSURE AND MAKE A NORMAL LNDG. WITH MODERN CAPACITANCE FUEL MEASURING TECHNOLOGY NASA COULD DESIGN A LOW COST KIT FOR RETROFIT OR INSTALLATION ON NEW ACFT AND LICENSE IT TO THE INDUSTRY FOR APPLICATION.