Narrative:

I was experiencing engine roughness over lake arrowhead. I tried switching tanks but this did not work. I switched to another tank and it ran ok, but decided to declare an emergency landing at ont with approach control 119.65. They assumably did not understand and continued to give vectors for VOR-a poc. I again told them I'm declaring emergency descent for ont. They gave me vectors for 26R and then said norton was closer--so I declared emergency and by now I was in IFR conditions. Ont gave me vectors for runway 6 norton. I broke out of the clouds about 800' AGL and saw the runway to the right. I slipped it in and landed. Engine out. I terminated the approach with norton tower, but got no response. I visually checked the fuel tanks before leaving las and estimated 35-45 gals of fuel left. I made a mistake in trying to stretch my fuel economy and aircraft's endurance and range. I will make sure next time to fuel up when any doubt is there. I realize my mistake and have learned a most frightening and hopefully never recurring lesson.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SINGLE ENGINE SMA DEPARTING LAS AT NIGHT DOES SO WITHOUT ENOUGH FUEL TO HEAD BACK TO LOS ANGELES AREA. ENGINE STARTS TO RUN ROUGH OVER LAKE ARROWHEAD CAUSING PLT TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY AND RECEIVE VECTORS FOR LNDG AT NORTON AFB IN IMC. LANDED WITH ENGINE OUT.

Narrative: I WAS EXPERIENCING ENG ROUGHNESS OVER LAKE ARROWHEAD. I TRIED SWITCHING TANKS BUT THIS DID NOT WORK. I SWITCHED TO ANOTHER TANK AND IT RAN OK, BUT DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMER LNDG AT ONT WITH APCH CTL 119.65. THEY ASSUMABLY DID NOT UNDERSTAND AND CONTINUED TO GIVE VECTORS FOR VOR-A POC. I AGAIN TOLD THEM I'M DECLARING EMER DSNT FOR ONT. THEY GAVE ME VECTORS FOR 26R AND THEN SAID NORTON WAS CLOSER--SO I DECLARED EMER AND BY NOW I WAS IN IFR CONDITIONS. ONT GAVE ME VECTORS FOR RWY 6 NORTON. I BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS ABOUT 800' AGL AND SAW THE RWY TO THE RIGHT. I SLIPPED IT IN AND LANDED. ENG OUT. I TERMINATED THE APCH WITH NORTON TWR, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. I VISUALLY CHKED THE FUEL TANKS BEFORE LEAVING LAS AND ESTIMATED 35-45 GALS OF FUEL LEFT. I MADE A MISTAKE IN TRYING TO STRETCH MY FUEL ECONOMY AND ACFT'S ENDURANCE AND RANGE. I WILL MAKE SURE NEXT TIME TO FUEL UP WHEN ANY DOUBT IS THERE. I REALIZE MY MISTAKE AND HAVE LEARNED A MOST FRIGHTENING AND HOPEFULLY NEVER RECURRING LESSON.

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.