Narrative:

A preflight check was performed, complete with visibility inspection of both fuel tanks which were found to be brimming with fuel. Samples of fuel were taken at each tank and at the cowling, and no contamination was detected. I climbed to 4500' MSL for the northwest flight to herington, ks. The mixture was not leaned en route to herington because I was taught by my instrument to not lean less than 5000'. Normal approach and landing occurred at destination, which was 102 mins flight time. I had calculated 92 mins flight time. A preflight check was performed and visibility inspection of the fuel tanks showed fuel slightly under the 17 gal tabs bilaterally, and I figured there was approximately 15 gals/tank. This meant approximately 20 gals of fuel was used in the trip to herington. With approximately 30 gals of fuel remaining, the trip back to sgf should have been easily made with a reserve of 8-10 gals. The fuel gauges confirmed that there was approximately 15 gals of fuel/tank. After takeoff I climbed to 5500' MSL. The mixture was leaned. At the prescribed time of 45 mins I switched tanks, and noted the right tank was indicating only about 2 gals of fuel remaining. I thought this was unusual because that would mean about 13 gals of fuel was used in only 45 mins. Over greenfield, mo (24 NM northwest of sgf regional) I contacted approach and was given clearance to land. A few mins later I noted the engine running rough. I turned on the electric fuel pump and switched to the right tank. The engine again ran smoothly. I asked approach how far I was from the airport and informed them I was low on fuel. Approach informed me that I was 16 mi from the airport, and to inform them of any engine roughness. Knowing I didn't want to dissipate any precious altitude should the engine quit, I stayed 3200-3500' MSL. (1930-2230' AGL). Moments later the engine quite and I informed approach that I was going to make a dead-stick landing on runway 14 which I had previously been cleared for straight in. He informed me I was 2 mi from the runway, and asked my altitude. I was high on the VASI's so I added full flaps and landed on runway 14 with no problems. The fuel service and emergency service personnel were there and filled the plane with 48 gals of fuel. The trip to sgf took 90 mins and used approximately 30 gals of fuel. I don't know why the plane used (or lost) 48 gals of fuel for 3 hours, 12 mins flight time. The hobbs time was 3.8 hours. This figures to 15 gals/hour, or 12.6 gals/hour as per hobbs. Possibly the leaning procedure used in the return trip caused increased fuel consumption rather than decreased consumption. Possibly there is some other carburetor problem with this aircraft, causing it to use 50% more than the prescribed 10 gals/hour at 75% power.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA DEAD STICK LNDG DUE FUEL EXHAUSTION AT THE END OF A 183 NM CROSS-COUNTY PLEASURE FLT.

Narrative: A PREFLT CHK WAS PERFORMED, COMPLETE WITH VIS INSPECTION OF BOTH FUEL TANKS WHICH WERE FOUND TO BE BRIMMING WITH FUEL. SAMPLES OF FUEL WERE TAKEN AT EACH TANK AND AT THE COWLING, AND NO CONTAMINATION WAS DETECTED. I CLBED TO 4500' MSL FOR THE NW FLT TO HERINGTON, KS. THE MIXTURE WAS NOT LEANED ENRTE TO HERINGTON BECAUSE I WAS TAUGHT BY MY INSTR TO NOT LEAN LESS THAN 5000'. NORMAL APCH AND LNDG OCCURRED AT DEST, WHICH WAS 102 MINS FLT TIME. I HAD CALCULATED 92 MINS FLT TIME. A PREFLT CHK WAS PERFORMED AND VIS INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANKS SHOWED FUEL SLIGHTLY UNDER THE 17 GAL TABS BILATERALLY, AND I FIGURED THERE WAS APPROX 15 GALS/TANK. THIS MEANT APPROX 20 GALS OF FUEL WAS USED IN THE TRIP TO HERINGTON. WITH APPROX 30 GALS OF FUEL REMAINING, THE TRIP BACK TO SGF SHOULD HAVE BEEN EASILY MADE WITH A RESERVE OF 8-10 GALS. THE FUEL GAUGES CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS APPROX 15 GALS OF FUEL/TANK. AFTER TKOF I CLBED TO 5500' MSL. THE MIXTURE WAS LEANED. AT THE PRESCRIBED TIME OF 45 MINS I SWITCHED TANKS, AND NOTED THE RIGHT TANK WAS INDICATING ONLY ABOUT 2 GALS OF FUEL REMAINING. I THOUGHT THIS WAS UNUSUAL BECAUSE THAT WOULD MEAN ABOUT 13 GALS OF FUEL WAS USED IN ONLY 45 MINS. OVER GREENFIELD, MO (24 NM NW OF SGF REGIONAL) I CONTACTED APCH AND WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND. A FEW MINS LATER I NOTED THE ENG RUNNING ROUGH. I TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AND SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK. THE ENG AGAIN RAN SMOOTHLY. I ASKED APCH HOW FAR I WAS FROM THE ARPT AND INFORMED THEM I WAS LOW ON FUEL. APCH INFORMED ME THAT I WAS 16 MI FROM THE ARPT, AND TO INFORM THEM OF ANY ENG ROUGHNESS. KNOWING I DIDN'T WANT TO DISSIPATE ANY PRECIOUS ALT SHOULD THE ENG QUIT, I STAYED 3200-3500' MSL. (1930-2230' AGL). MOMENTS LATER THE ENG QUITE AND I INFORMED APCH THAT I WAS GOING TO MAKE A DEAD-STICK LNDG ON RWY 14 WHICH I HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CLRED FOR STRAIGHT IN. HE INFORMED ME I WAS 2 MI FROM THE RWY, AND ASKED MY ALT. I WAS HIGH ON THE VASI'S SO I ADDED FULL FLAPS AND LANDED ON RWY 14 WITH NO PROBS. THE FUEL SVC AND EMER SVC PERSONNEL WERE THERE AND FILLED THE PLANE WITH 48 GALS OF FUEL. THE TRIP TO SGF TOOK 90 MINS AND USED APPROX 30 GALS OF FUEL. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE PLANE USED (OR LOST) 48 GALS OF FUEL FOR 3 HRS, 12 MINS FLT TIME. THE HOBBS TIME WAS 3.8 HRS. THIS FIGURES TO 15 GALS/HR, OR 12.6 GALS/HR AS PER HOBBS. POSSIBLY THE LEANING PROC USED IN THE RETURN TRIP CAUSED INCREASED FUEL CONSUMPTION RATHER THAN DECREASED CONSUMPTION. POSSIBLY THERE IS SOME OTHER CARB PROB WITH THIS ACFT, CAUSING IT TO USE 50% MORE THAN THE PRESCRIBED 10 GALS/HR AT 75% PWR.

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.