Fuel exhaustion. Forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	142527
Time
Date	199004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ilm
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ilm
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 521 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	142527
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Engine was overhauled recently and it was recommended by repair shop to run engine at higher RPM and also to use a break-in oil. It is now obvious that the fuel burn was not properly calculated by me. Another contributing factor was headwinds at approximately 35 to 40 KTS, resulting in a much lower ground speed. I amended my flight plan from cre to ilm which would be closer to my position. My purpose was to shorten my distance to compensate for low ground speed. Since I have flown this aircraft a couple of hundred hours and I am use to using a fuel burn of 9.5 gph in my calculation that day I used 9.5 gph. I now see my error. My fuel burn calculation should have taken into consideration the higher rpms. WX that day was VFR, clear, good visibility and was not a threat, which gave me added confidence. When the engine quit I picked out the best landing site I had available to me, made the controller aware of my problem, then made an emergency landing in an open field. A safe landing was made with no damage to the aircraft or its occupants. Later fuel was acquired and I then flew the aircraft out of the field landing next at ilm. That night when I was reviewing my paperwork I discovered my medical certificate had expired on 3/xx/90, 10 days overdue at the time of this problem. I immediately had it renewed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL EXHAUSTION. FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: ENG WAS OVERHAULED RECENTLY AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED BY REPAIR SHOP TO RUN ENG AT HIGHER RPM AND ALSO TO USE A BREAK-IN OIL. IT IS NOW OBVIOUS THAT THE FUEL BURN WAS NOT PROPERLY CALCULATED BY ME. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS HEADWINDS AT APPROX 35 TO 40 KTS, RESULTING IN A MUCH LOWER GND SPD. I AMENDED MY FLT PLAN FROM CRE TO ILM WHICH WOULD BE CLOSER TO MY POS. MY PURPOSE WAS TO SHORTEN MY DISTANCE TO COMPENSATE FOR LOW GND SPD. SINCE I HAVE FLOWN THIS ACFT A COUPLE OF HUNDRED HRS AND I AM USE TO USING A FUEL BURN OF 9.5 GPH IN MY CALCULATION THAT DAY I USED 9.5 GPH. I NOW SEE MY ERROR. MY FUEL BURN CALCULATION SHOULD HAVE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THE HIGHER RPMS. WX THAT DAY WAS VFR, CLR, GOOD VISIBILITY AND WAS NOT A THREAT, WHICH GAVE ME ADDED CONFIDENCE. WHEN THE ENG QUIT I PICKED OUT THE BEST LNDG SITE I HAD AVAILABLE TO ME, MADE THE CTLR AWARE OF MY PROB, THEN MADE AN EMER LNDG IN AN OPEN FIELD. A SAFE LNDG WAS MADE WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR ITS OCCUPANTS. LATER FUEL WAS ACQUIRED AND I THEN FLEW THE ACFT OUT OF THE FIELD LNDG NEXT AT ILM. THAT NIGHT WHEN I WAS REVIEWING MY PAPERWORK I DISCOVERED MY MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED ON 3/XX/90, 10 DAYS OVERDUE AT THE TIME OF THIS PROB. I IMMEDIATELY HAD IT RENEWED.

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.