PA18 PLT FLYING A FLOAT EQUIPPED ACFT SUFFERS FUEL STARVATION ON APCH TO LNDG. LANDS SAFELY IN SWAMPY AREA SHORT OF THE LAKE OF INTENDED LNDG.

Narrative

A FRIEND LET ME FLY HIS SUPERCUB ON FLOATS. IT HAD BEEN A NICE DAY SO I DECIDED TO GO FOR A FLT. I WAS JUST GOING TO FLY AROUND THE VALLEY AND RETURN. THIS WAS THE 3RD TIME I HAD FLOWN HIS PLANE. THE COCKPIT WAS DIFFERENT THAN MY SUPERCUB WHICH WAS ON TUNDRA TIRES. I REVIEWED THE COCKPIT AGAIN; FINDING EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO START THE AIRPLANE. THERE WAS NO CHKLIST. I WARMED UP THE PLANE AND DID MY RUN-UP. I TOOK OFF THE LAKE AND FLEW N. I DID A COUPLE OF TOUCH AND GOES ON DIFFERENT LAKES AND HEADED BACK HOME. I WAS COMING IN FOR A LONG FINAL; WHEN I REMEMBERED THE SUBDIVISION ON THE CORNER OF THE NW END OF THE LAKE. THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE HAD BEEN COMPLAINING OF THE NOISE SO I DIVERTED TO THE E AND STARTED TO SET UP FOR FINAL LNDG TO THE S ON THE LAKE. I PULLED THE PWR BACK; I WAS ABOUT 800 FT AND THE ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER SO I GAVE IT A LITTLE PWR BUT IT CONTINUED. SO I LOOKED AT THE LAKE; HAD MY GS; GLANCED INSIDE THE COCKPIT; MY L-HAND SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING WHILE I KEPT LOOKING AT THE LAKE. REALIZING I WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE LAKE I LOOKED FOR SOMEWHERE ELSE TO LAND BECAUSE I WAS HEADED FOR THE TREES. THERE WAS A GRAVEL PIT TO THE L AND THEN A SWAMP TO THE R. I BANKED THE PLANE TO THE L AND THEN GRADUALLY STARTED TO BANK TO THE R TURNING THE PLANE. I PUT ON ONE NOTCH OF FLAPS; LINED THE PLANE UP WITH THE SWAMP. I WAS COMING UP TO THE END OF THE SWAMP SO I PUT ON FULL FLAPS AND LANDED SMOOTHLY ON THE GRASS. THERE WAS NO BUMP OR JAR. I SAT IN THE PLANE; COLLECTED MYSELF; GOT OUT OF THE PLANE; STARTED TO WONDER WHAT WENT WRONG. GOT BACK UP ON THE PLANE STARTED TO REVIEW THE COCKPIT. REALIZED THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH WAS ON THE L TANK; LOOKED UP AT L TANK FUEL GAUGE AND IT WAS EMPTY. R FUEL TANK WAS FULL. I WAS NOT PROUD OF MYSELF AT ALL. I ALWAYS CONSIDERED MY PLT'S LICENSES A PRIVILEGE; SOMETHING I WAS PROUD OF. THIS DAY PROVED THAT I WAS AN INCOMPETENT PLT. ERRORS MADE: ALWAYS CARRY A CHKLIST. IF YOU'RE IN A SUPERCUB WITH R AND L SELECTOR SWITCH AND NOT A BOTH SELECTOR ALWAYS USE FULLEST TANK. NEVER FLY UNTIL YOU CHK YOUR FUEL. ALWAYS REVIEW THE COCKPIT AND GO OVER THE EMER PROC ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN YOUR OWN PLANE. ALWAYS DO THE GUMP PROC BEFORE YOU'RE ON FINAL. WHEN ON FINAL ALWAYS HAVE PLENTY OF ALT SO IF YOU HAVE TO DIVERT FROM COURSE YOU WILL STILL BE ABLE TO LAND. I WAS BLESSED ON THIS DAY WITH NO INJURIES TO THE PLANE OR MYSELF. I HAVE LEARNED MANY IMPORTANT LESSONS AND WILL STRIVE TO BE A MORE RESPONSIBLE PLT IN THE FUTURE.