Narrative:

In front royal, wv, instrument told me that 1/2 tanks were suitable for the flight being made (100 NM). After takeoff, compass was not working properly--no turn indicator--and right fuel tank was leaking gas (which I did not know at the time). When approximately 20 mi from airport of intended arrival (fairmont municipal, wv) I asked for vectors into airport. Found out that my transponder was not working right either. Notified ckb approach that I was low on gas, then was directed to mgw. After notification to mgw was made, I proceeded to enter downwind for 36. Downwind my engine completely quit and I notified controller I landed in the grass preceding the runway, then came to a stop on runway. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the CFI owns an FBO and the aircraft. Reporter states: 'I am learning to fly with the intention of being a professional pilot. CFI was, at the time, my employer. I suggested we fill the tanks, but he overrode my suggestions and I was too intimidated to insist. Magnetic compass was sticking and I made a turn right after takeoff with the compass sticking, and when I set the dg, I set it on the wrong heading. This threw me of course to the north, so when I realized I was running low on fuel and mgw saw me, I was close to mgw airport and decided to land there--fortunately, as I ran out of gas on the downwind leg.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ON CROSS-COUNTRY FLT RAN OUT OF FUEL AND LANDED SHORT OF RWY AT MGW.

Narrative: IN FRONT ROYAL, WV, INSTR TOLD ME THAT 1/2 TANKS WERE SUITABLE FOR THE FLT BEING MADE (100 NM). AFTER TKOF, COMPASS WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY--NO TURN INDICATOR--AND RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING GAS (WHICH I DID NOT KNOW AT THE TIME). WHEN APPROX 20 MI FROM ARPT OF INTENDED ARR (FAIRMONT MUNI, WV) I ASKED FOR VECTORS INTO ARPT. FOUND OUT THAT MY XPONDER WAS NOT WORKING RIGHT EITHER. NOTIFIED CKB APCH THAT I WAS LOW ON GAS, THEN WAS DIRECTED TO MGW. AFTER NOTIFICATION TO MGW WAS MADE, I PROCEEDED TO ENTER DOWNWIND FOR 36. DOWNWIND MY ENG COMPLETELY QUIT AND I NOTIFIED CTLR I LANDED IN THE GRASS PRECEDING THE RWY, THEN CAME TO A STOP ON RWY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE CFI OWNS AN FBO AND THE ACFT. REPORTER STATES: 'I AM LEARNING TO FLY WITH THE INTENTION OF BEING A PROFESSIONAL PLT. CFI WAS, AT THE TIME, MY EMPLOYER. I SUGGESTED WE FILL THE TANKS, BUT HE OVERRODE MY SUGGESTIONS AND I WAS TOO INTIMIDATED TO INSIST. MAGNETIC COMPASS WAS STICKING AND I MADE A TURN RIGHT AFTER TKOF WITH THE COMPASS STICKING, AND WHEN I SET THE DG, I SET IT ON THE WRONG HDG. THIS THREW ME OF COURSE TO THE N, SO WHEN I REALIZED I WAS RUNNING LOW ON FUEL AND MGW SAW ME, I WAS CLOSE TO MGW ARPT AND DECIDED TO LAND THERE--FORTUNATELY, AS I RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE DOWNWIND LEG.'

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.