Narrative:

2 passenger and myself were on a VFR flight on a rental aircraft (small aircraft) from norfolk international, va, to thomson-mc duffie airport. Estimated time en route was 3.8 hours. The encurance was estimated at 6 hours with no reserves and 5.5 hours with VFR reserves. The aircraft was properly leaned using the egt gauge and operated according to the recommended procedures for switching fuel tanks. During descent to thomson-mc duffie one tank ran dry at 3500' MSL. The other tank was selected and it ran dry approximately 10 seconds later. The total time en route (including taxi and run up) was 4 hours, 5 mins. A forced landing was made on a farm field with no injuries or damage to the aircraft. The following are my suggestions to prevent recurrence: 1) require aircraft manufacturer to publish more realistic performance figures. The actual fuel consumption was over 40% in error. 2) install accurate fuel flow gauges. 3) aircraft for rent or hire should be required to have fuel consumption checks performed periodically (perhaps at the annual inspection). Subsequent to the incident the aircraft was inspected for leaks and the carburetor was checked with no anomalies found. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: normal preflight performed with fuel checked full and sumps drained. Altitude en route was at 8500'. There were no fuel flow gauges installed on aircraft. Read normal at takeoff. Could not recall reading on descent. Carburetor heat was not used in descent or after engine failure as he was too busy setting up the forced landing in a field. He was in contact with unicom. He had mixture in full rich in descent. Tanks were checked after landing and were dry. Aircraft took 50.5 gals to refill. Does not know what owner did to carburetor or what was found.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON DESCENT TO DEST. ONE TANK RAN DRY. SWITCHED TANKS AND THE OTHER RAN DRY. ACFT AIRBORNE 4 HOURS, 5 MINUTES WITH 6 HOURS, 10 MINUTES ENDURANCE. LANDED IN FIELD. NO DAMAGE, NO INJURIES.

Narrative: 2 PAX AND MYSELF WERE ON A VFR FLT ON A RENTAL ACFT (SMA) FROM NORFOLK INTL, VA, TO THOMSON-MC DUFFIE ARPT. ESTIMATED TIME ENRTE WAS 3.8 HRS. THE ENCURANCE WAS ESTIMATED AT 6 HRS WITH NO RESERVES AND 5.5 HRS WITH VFR RESERVES. THE ACFT WAS PROPERLY LEANED USING THE EGT GAUGE AND OPERATED ACCORDING TO THE RECOMMENDED PROCS FOR SWITCHING FUEL TANKS. DURING DSCNT TO THOMSON-MC DUFFIE ONE TANK RAN DRY AT 3500' MSL. THE OTHER TANK WAS SELECTED AND IT RAN DRY APPROX 10 SECS LATER. THE TOTAL TIME ENRTE (INCLUDING TAXI AND RUN UP) WAS 4 HRS, 5 MINS. A FORCED LNDG WAS MADE ON A FARM FIELD WITH NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE FOLLOWING ARE MY SUGGESTIONS TO PREVENT RECURRENCE: 1) REQUIRE ACFT MANUFACTURER TO PUBLISH MORE REALISTIC PERFORMANCE FIGURES. THE ACTUAL FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS OVER 40% IN ERROR. 2) INSTALL ACCURATE FUEL FLOW GAUGES. 3) ACFT FOR RENT OR HIRE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE FUEL CONSUMPTION CHKS PERFORMED PERIODICALLY (PERHAPS AT THE ANNUAL INSPECTION). SUBSEQUENT TO THE INCIDENT THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED FOR LEAKS AND THE CARB WAS CHKED WITH NO ANOMALIES FOUND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: NORMAL PREFLT PERFORMED WITH FUEL CHKED FULL AND SUMPS DRAINED. ALT ENRTE WAS AT 8500'. THERE WERE NO FUEL FLOW GAUGES INSTALLED ON ACFT. READ NORMAL AT TKOF. COULD NOT RECALL READING ON DSCNT. CARB HEAT WAS NOT USED IN DSCNT OR AFTER ENG FAILURE AS HE WAS TOO BUSY SETTING UP THE FORCED LNDG IN A FIELD. HE WAS IN CONTACT WITH UNICOM. HE HAD MIXTURE IN FULL RICH IN DSCNT. TANKS WERE CHKED AFTER LNDG AND WERE DRY. ACFT TOOK 50.5 GALS TO REFILL. DOES NOT KNOW WHAT OWNER DID TO CARB OR WHAT WAS FOUND.

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.