Date: 202009
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Rockwell Aero Commander Single-Engine Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: None
Mission: Ferry / Re-Positioning
Flight phase: Cruise
Aircraft component: Fuel Storage System
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Confusion; Human-Machine Interface
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: While en route from ZZZ to ZZZ1 the engine of Aircraft X abruptly quit with no warning. At that point I established best glide speed; shut off my fuel selector; and landed it in a clearing in the forest with no bodily harm; no damage to other people or property; and some aircraft damage. Before flight this morning I looked into the fuel tanks and noted around 1/3 in both tanks; topped off the fuel with 72 gallons over the top of the wing; and visually double checked that the fuel was full after allowing for equalization then departed ZZZ at approximately XA00 am. The engine quit between 1:35- 1:40 into the flight. The left tank fuel gauge appeared to be inoperative when I departed but since I was not familiar with the airplane I did not know if it had been disabled or if it would come back into service throughout the flight (it has been my experience that they do some times). The right fuel gauge seemed a little erratic but was counting down the fuel as I progressed throughout the flight. When the engine quit the right tank gauge was not indicating empty. I chose that the airplane was safe for this flight concerning the fuel because of my conservative fuel planning process that I have used successfully on many other ferry flights with different aircraft. I talked to several pilots with 1340 experience and it sounded like the most I could expect it to burn would be around 36 gph using the power settings that I intended to use. I made my flight plan to ZZZ1 assuming 40 gph and decided I would divert to a closer airport if I could not make it there in less than 2 hours; leaving me with 40 minutes of reserve. I would have made it at about 1:45. After the fact; I calculated my actual fuel burn using the 106 gallons usable that was placarded on the wing and came up that the engine was burning 62 gph. This seems extraordinarily high and I am suspicious that the engine quit for a different reason or that fuel was being leaked in flight. In hindsight I can see that only flying a 1 hour leg first with an unfamiliar airplane would be best practice that I will employ from now on now that I understand how far off fuel consumption estimates can be. I also will insist that the fuel gauges be functioning to the best of their designed ability as a secondary monitoring system in any aircraft that I fly.




Synopsis: Rockwell pilot reported an off airfield landing after engine quit due to fuel starvation.