A C305 PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD AFTER HIS ENGINE QUIT FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION. SLIGHT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT RESULTED.
Synopsis
A C305 PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD AFTER HIS ENGINE QUIT FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION. SLIGHT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT RESULTED.
Narrative
I DEPARTED ZZZ1 ARPT ABOUT XA00 ENRTE TO THE ZZZ ARPT. BEFORE DEPARTING ZZZ1 AND DURING THE PREFLT INSPECTION; I VISUALLY INSPECTED THE FUEL LEVEL IN BOTH TANKS AND BOTH FUEL GAUGES SHOWED JUST OVER 1/4. I ESTIMATED THE FUEL TO BE 10-12 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL REMAINING. I EXPECTED TO HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO FLY THE 30 MIN FLT TO ZZZ AND STILL HAVE OVER 5 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL REMAINING; WHICH WOULD HAVE PROVIDED ME WITH MORE THAN AN ADDITIONAL 30 MINS OF FLT AT NORMAL CRUISING SPD. ABOUT XA30; CRUISING AT 1500 FT MSL AND ABOUT 5 NM FROM THE ZZZ ARPT; THE ENG STOPPED RUNNING. I CHOSE A FIELD TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG AND I TOUCHED DOWN SLIGHTLY HARDER THAN NORMAL. THE LNDG GEAR SPREAD AND THE PROP HIT THE GND AND THE ACFT ROLLED TO A STOP IN ABOUT 150 FT. DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS LIMITED TO A BENT PROP; 1 BENT LNDG GEAR AND SEVERAL WRINKLED SKINS JUST BEHIND THE PLT'S DOOR. NO INJURIES OCCURRED ON THIS LNDG AND NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO ANY PROPERTY ON THE GND. MY ESTIMATE OF THE USABLE FUEL REMAINING IN THE TANKS WAS IN ERROR AS I DEPARTED ZZZ1.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.