Narrative:

I took off with 35 gal of fuel instead of 50 gal full tank on the small aircraft because I wanted to arrive before it became dark at arrival. I calculated fuel requirements to be just under 30 gal for x-country from cmh. I had anticipated 5 mins to taxi and takeoff. Due to traffic it was about 20 min. I climbed to 8500' on schedule and leaned out to maximum egt for 7.5 gal/hour fuel consumption per the book. I allowed for normal descent with 45 min reserve. At my last switch of the tanks, left had just under 5 gals and right just under 10 gal. I began descent somewhat earlier than planned so that I could cut a straight course to arrival and remain under ord TCA floor. (I had been flying victor arwys and was headed for joliet VOR). I reached 3500' and increased power. I did all this to land while sun was still up. At 12-14 NM from arrival the engine began sputtering. I turned fuel pump on and switched to left tank. Right fuel gauge read 2-3 gal and left gauge read 4-5 gal. The engine continued to sputter and then quit. I was in contact with arrival tower and received transponder code. I was told that I was directly over another small airport. I thought I recognized the field and prepared to land. It turned out that this was a gravel road 1.5 NM from said airport. I have not heard if the tanks have been drained to measure remaining fuel, but the FBO suspects fuel exhaustion. If this is true, the gauges were not accurate. I have also since learned that published fuel consumption can be off by as much as 20 percent. I planned the flight in good faith but was naive!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA RUNS OUT OF FUEL CLOSE TO DESTINATION.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF WITH 35 GAL OF FUEL INSTEAD OF 50 GAL FULL TANK ON THE SMA BECAUSE I WANTED TO ARRIVE BEFORE IT BECAME DARK AT ARR. I CALCULATED FUEL REQUIREMENTS TO BE JUST UNDER 30 GAL FOR X-COUNTRY FROM CMH. I HAD ANTICIPATED 5 MINS TO TAXI AND TKOF. DUE TO TFC IT WAS ABOUT 20 MIN. I CLBED TO 8500' ON SCHEDULE AND LEANED OUT TO MAX EGT FOR 7.5 GAL/HR FUEL CONSUMPTION PER THE BOOK. I ALLOWED FOR NORMAL DSNT WITH 45 MIN RESERVE. AT MY LAST SWITCH OF THE TANKS, L HAD JUST UNDER 5 GALS AND R JUST UNDER 10 GAL. I BEGAN DSCNT SOMEWHAT EARLIER THAN PLANNED SO THAT I COULD CUT A STRAIGHT COURSE TO ARR AND REMAIN UNDER ORD TCA FLOOR. (I HAD BEEN FLYING VICTOR ARWYS AND WAS HEADED FOR JOLIET VOR). I REACHED 3500' AND INCREASED PWR. I DID ALL THIS TO LAND WHILE SUN WAS STILL UP. AT 12-14 NM FROM ARR THE ENG BEGAN SPUTTERING. I TURNED FUEL PUMP ON AND SWITCHED TO L TANK. R FUEL GAUGE READ 2-3 GAL AND L GAUGE READ 4-5 GAL. THE ENG CONTINUED TO SPUTTER AND THEN QUIT. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ARR TWR AND RECEIVED XPONDER CODE. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS DIRECTLY OVER ANOTHER SMALL ARPT. I THOUGHT I RECOGNIZED THE FIELD AND PREPARED TO LAND. IT TURNED OUT THAT THIS WAS A GRAVEL ROAD 1.5 NM FROM SAID ARPT. I HAVE NOT HEARD IF THE TANKS HAVE BEEN DRAINED TO MEASURE REMAINING FUEL, BUT THE FBO SUSPECTS FUEL EXHAUSTION. IF THIS IS TRUE, THE GAUGES WERE NOT ACCURATE. I HAVE ALSO SINCE LEARNED THAT PUBLISHED FUEL CONSUMPTION CAN BE OFF BY AS MUCH AS 20 PERCENT. I PLANNED THE FLT IN GOOD FAITH BUT WAS NAIVE!

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.