Small aircraft lands short of runway threshold due to no fuel.

Attributes
ACN	157407
Time
Date	199009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cos
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cos
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	157407
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical 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:

Nonstop flight from slo to cos. I encountered headwinds with approximately 50 gals left at 20-30 mi from airport. I switched tanks with approximately 3-4 gals left in the right tank. On final the left ran dry and the engine didn't start when I switched to the right(?) tank. A forced landing was made left of runway centerline, about 1000' short of the runway. The tie-down lug on the tail was damaged during run-out when we went through a swail.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LANDS SHORT OF RWY THRESHOLD DUE TO NO FUEL.

Narrative: NONSTOP FLT FROM SLO TO COS. I ENCOUNTERED HEADWINDS WITH APPROX 50 GALS LEFT AT 20-30 MI FROM ARPT. I SWITCHED TANKS WITH APPROX 3-4 GALS LEFT IN THE RIGHT TANK. ON FINAL THE LEFT RAN DRY AND THE ENG DIDN'T START WHEN I SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT(?) TANK. A FORCED LNDG WAS MADE LEFT OF RWY CENTERLINE, ABOUT 1000' SHORT OF THE RWY. THE TIE-DOWN LUG ON THE TAIL WAS DAMAGED DURING RUN-OUT WHEN WE WENT THROUGH A SWAIL.

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.