GA small aircraft forced landing due fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	103540
Time
Date	198901
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sj1
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : nbc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 41 flight time total : 55 flight time type : 7
ASRS Report	103540
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While en route to florence, sc, from clearwater, fl, and using a combination of LORAN C and VOR navigation with the use of radar following I went according to registered flight plan from clearwater, through ocala VOR, above jacksonville arsa, above savannah, GA, arsa and above beaufort, sc. Shortly after transitioning from savannah to beaufort my engine started to give the classic signs of starving for fuel. Knowing I had plenty I applied carburetor heat in a throttling action only to find no change and an additional loss of RPM. I immediately upon realizing the seriousness of the problem, contacted beaufort tower and started to descend. Looking for an airfield I stayed in contact with the tower until they lost me on radar. At the very last moment I saw I-95 and landed on the median so that I wouldn't get hit in the rear by a car or truck. Just before I stopped I coasted down deeper into the center so that now even the wing was completely off the highway. Next a man came by and asked me my problem saying that he is an a & P mechanic. Together we removed the cowling and he tested my fuel selector and showed me that the selector card was wrong and that I would have to get the right one as soon as possible. After that he left. Next the police asked if it would fly and I said yes, since now I had discovered the problem. We all thought for safety's sake the best course of action would be to remove the plane, which I did and went to ridgeland airport and had the selector card fixed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FORCED LNDG DUE FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO FLORENCE, SC, FROM CLEARWATER, FL, AND USING A COMBINATION OF LORAN C AND VOR NAVIGATION WITH THE USE OF RADAR FOLLOWING I WENT ACCORDING TO REGISTERED FLT PLAN FROM CLEARWATER, THROUGH OCALA VOR, ABOVE JACKSONVILLE ARSA, ABOVE SAVANNAH, GA, ARSA AND ABOVE BEAUFORT, SC. SHORTLY AFTER TRANSITIONING FROM SAVANNAH TO BEAUFORT MY ENG STARTED TO GIVE THE CLASSIC SIGNS OF STARVING FOR FUEL. KNOWING I HAD PLENTY I APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT IN A THROTTLING ACTION ONLY TO FIND NO CHANGE AND AN ADDITIONAL LOSS OF RPM. I IMMEDIATELY UPON REALIZING THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROB, CONTACTED BEAUFORT TWR AND STARTED TO DSND. LOOKING FOR AN AIRFIELD I STAYED IN CONTACT WITH THE TWR UNTIL THEY LOST ME ON RADAR. AT THE VERY LAST MOMENT I SAW I-95 AND LANDED ON THE MEDIAN SO THAT I WOULDN'T GET HIT IN THE REAR BY A CAR OR TRUCK. JUST BEFORE I STOPPED I COASTED DOWN DEEPER INTO THE CENTER SO THAT NOW EVEN THE WING WAS COMPLETELY OFF THE HWY. NEXT A MAN CAME BY AND ASKED ME MY PROB SAYING THAT HE IS AN A & P MECH. TOGETHER WE REMOVED THE COWLING AND HE TESTED MY FUEL SELECTOR AND SHOWED ME THAT THE SELECTOR CARD WAS WRONG AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GET THE RIGHT ONE ASAP. AFTER THAT HE LEFT. NEXT THE POLICE ASKED IF IT WOULD FLY AND I SAID YES, SINCE NOW I HAD DISCOVERED THE PROB. WE ALL THOUGHT FOR SAFETY'S SAKE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO REMOVE THE PLANE, WHICH I DID AND WENT TO RIDGELAND ARPT AND HAD THE SELECTOR CARD FIXED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.