Small aircraft on ILS approach has engine quit. Landed on highway.

Attributes
ACN	140640
Time
Date	199003
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lbx
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 680
ASRS Report	140640
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On my older small aircraft the fuel quick drain knob for the gascolator is located inside the cabin. I think when I pulled it to drain it I did not verify that the fuel flow to the ground had stopped. I departed cll for lbx on an IFR flight plan with 2 hours 45 mins fuel for the 1 hour flight. Approximately 8 mi north of lbx, after intercepting the localizer and being cleared for the approach, the engine started to sputter from fuel exhaustion. I was in VFR conditions, it was approximately XX00 pm, and there was no moon to light things up. I advised the approach controller of my engine failure and my plans to land on highway 288. Engine quit at approximately 2400' MSL. Controller asked if I could make the airport. I replied, 'negative.' as I came close to the highway, I slowed down too much because of a car below me. When I noticed I dropped the nose and made a perfect landing and pulled off to the side. The car had sped up out of the way. Upon examination both tanks were dry and fuel was still draining out the gascolator. I pulled the knob and it quit draining. I couldn't make it stick again. Police took me for gas and I flew it home.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON ILS APCH HAS ENGINE QUIT. LANDED ON HIGHWAY.

Narrative: ON MY OLDER SMA THE FUEL QUICK DRAIN KNOB FOR THE GASCOLATOR IS LOCATED INSIDE THE CABIN. I THINK WHEN I PULLED IT TO DRAIN IT I DID NOT VERIFY THAT THE FUEL FLOW TO THE GND HAD STOPPED. I DEPARTED CLL FOR LBX ON AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH 2 HRS 45 MINS FUEL FOR THE 1 HR FLT. APPROX 8 MI N OF LBX, AFTER INTERCEPTING THE LOC AND BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH, THE ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION. I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS, IT WAS APPROX XX00 PM, AND THERE WAS NO MOON TO LIGHT THINGS UP. I ADVISED THE APCH CTLR OF MY ENG FAILURE AND MY PLANS TO LAND ON HWY 288. ENG QUIT AT APPROX 2400' MSL. CTLR ASKED IF I COULD MAKE THE ARPT. I REPLIED, 'NEGATIVE.' AS I CAME CLOSE TO THE HWY, I SLOWED DOWN TOO MUCH BECAUSE OF A CAR BELOW ME. WHEN I NOTICED I DROPPED THE NOSE AND MADE A PERFECT LNDG AND PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE. THE CAR HAD SPED UP OUT OF THE WAY. UPON EXAMINATION BOTH TANKS WERE DRY AND FUEL WAS STILL DRAINING OUT THE GASCOLATOR. I PULLED THE KNOB AND IT QUIT DRAINING. I COULDN'T MAKE IT STICK AGAIN. POLICE TOOK ME FOR GAS AND I FLEW IT HOME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.