C172 PLT HAS ENG FAILURE AND PERFORMS AN OFF FIELD LNDG.

Narrative

ENRTE TO HILTON HEAD; NOTICED THAT THE R TANK FUEL GAUGE SHOWED 1/2 TANK AND THE L GAUGE APPROX 1/6 TANK. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE THAT THE FUEL LEVEL HAD NEVER DROPPED BELOW 1/2 TANK SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE ACFT SO THE ACCURACY OF THE FUEL GAUGES WAS NEVER IN QUESTION. HE TURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO R TANK ONLY TO EQUALIZE THE TANKS. AT APPROX XA10 THE ENG QUIT. HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE SELECTOR VALVE TO BOTH TANKS AND THE ENG RESTARTED. CALCULATED THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL IN THE L TANK; IF THE TANKS WERE BALANCED; TO GET TO DEST. ASKED BEAUFORT MARINE APCH IF HE COULD LAND AT THE MAAC IF NEEDED AND WAS TOLD THAT HE COULD. HE PROCEEDED ON COURSE SINCE THERE WAS ONLY 10 MI TO GO AND THE ENG FAILED 8 MI SHORT OF HXD. HE TOLD BEAUFORT APCH THAT THE ENG FAILED AND THEY SAID THE BEAUFORT WAS 7 MI; MAAC WAS 8 MI AND HXD WAS 8 MI. HEADED TOWARDS (BEAUFORT COUNTY) NOW AT 3500 FT; KNOWING THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE IT. THE AREA BELOW WAS HEAVILY TREED AND DENSELY POPULATED AND HE DETERMINED THAT THE SAFEST LNDG WAS THE RAIL YARD AT PORT ROYAL PORT AUTH. HE CLRED THE TREES AND PUT IN FULL FLAPS FOR A SOFT FIELD LNDG AND TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE L MAIN GEAR NEXT TO A RAILROAD TRACK. THE PLANE CONTINUED FOR APPROX 200 FT WHEN THE L MAIN GEAR WEDGED INTO THE TRACK; FORCING THE NOSE GEAR TO THE L INTO THE TRACK. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE R WINGTIP HIT THE GND. THE PLANE CAME TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OTHER THAN THAT SUFFERED BY THE ACFT.