Small aircraft pilot runs out of fuel, lands short of runway.

Attributes
ACN	146144
Time
Date	199005
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eed
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mdw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	146144
Events
Anomaly	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:

Checked fuel with plastic calibrated tube, which indicated 60 gal. This should have been enough fuel to complete flight with a reserve. Encountered extraordinary head winds during flight, which increased flight time but still should not have been a problem. When engine missed and started running rough took heading to nearest airport, needles. Engine quit and due to strong head wind landed 300' short of runway in sandy terrain, doing minor damage to wheel fairings and struts by hitting brush. Believe that tube is an unreliable method of determining fuel on board. When in doubt, fill up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT RUNS OUT OF FUEL, LANDS SHORT OF RWY.

Narrative: CHKED FUEL WITH PLASTIC CALIBRATED TUBE, WHICH INDICATED 60 GAL. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH FUEL TO COMPLETE FLT WITH A RESERVE. ENCOUNTERED EXTRAORDINARY HEAD WINDS DURING FLT, WHICH INCREASED FLT TIME BUT STILL SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A PROB. WHEN ENG MISSED AND STARTED RUNNING ROUGH TOOK HDG TO NEAREST ARPT, NEEDLES. ENG QUIT AND DUE TO STRONG HEAD WIND LANDED 300' SHORT OF RWY IN SANDY TERRAIN, DOING MINOR DAMAGE TO WHEEL FAIRINGS AND STRUTS BY HITTING BRUSH. BELIEVE THAT TUBE IS AN UNRELIABLE METHOD OF DETERMINING FUEL ON BOARD. WHEN IN DOUBT, FILL UP.

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.