Student pilot on solo cross-country executes a successful forced landing when he runs out of fuel.

Attributes
ACN	157975
Time
Date	199009
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 11r
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 35 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	157975
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I was flying a 300 mi x-country flight as a student solo. I was flying an small aircraft with 38 gal of fuel. I originally planned not to refuel, but because of strange wind conditions I decided best to refuel at eagle lake airport. The airport showed that it had fuel on the map. I stopped at eagle lake and found it unattended. I knew I was getting low on fuel so I checked it with the dip stick. It showed about 1' of fuel in one tank, and about 3/4 of the way up to the 10 gal mark on the other tank. I figured I had about 8 gal of fuel, enough to make it back to my departure about 65 mi. But to be on the safe side and still have a 30 min reserve, I planned to stop in brenham airport about 35 mi. Evidently 3/4 up to 10 gal mark is not 7 gal because I ran out of gas about 2 mi short of the runway in brenham. I had no choice but to land the aircraft in a small field, west/O damage to property or plane. We took the plane out first officer the field, and a more experienced pilot took off a gravel road and flew to brenham. I flew solo from brenham back to my departure in bryan, tx.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT ON SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY EXECUTES A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LNDG WHEN HE RUNS OUT OF FUEL.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A 300 MI X-COUNTRY FLT AS A STUDENT SOLO. I WAS FLYING AN SMA WITH 38 GAL OF FUEL. I ORIGINALLY PLANNED NOT TO REFUEL, BUT BECAUSE OF STRANGE WIND CONDITIONS I DECIDED BEST TO REFUEL AT EAGLE LAKE ARPT. THE ARPT SHOWED THAT IT HAD FUEL ON THE MAP. I STOPPED AT EAGLE LAKE AND FOUND IT UNATTENDED. I KNEW I WAS GETTING LOW ON FUEL SO I CHKED IT WITH THE DIP STICK. IT SHOWED ABOUT 1' OF FUEL IN ONE TANK, AND ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY UP TO THE 10 GAL MARK ON THE OTHER TANK. I FIGURED I HAD ABOUT 8 GAL OF FUEL, ENOUGH TO MAKE IT BACK TO MY DEP ABOUT 65 MI. BUT TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE AND STILL HAVE A 30 MIN RESERVE, I PLANNED TO STOP IN BRENHAM ARPT ABOUT 35 MI. EVIDENTLY 3/4 UP TO 10 GAL MARK IS NOT 7 GAL BECAUSE I RAN OUT OF GAS ABOUT 2 MI SHORT OF THE RWY IN BRENHAM. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO LAND THE ACFT IN A SMALL FIELD, W/O DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OR PLANE. WE TOOK THE PLANE OUT FO THE FIELD, AND A MORE EXPERIENCED PLT TOOK OFF A GRAVEL ROAD AND FLEW TO BRENHAM. I FLEW SOLO FROM BRENHAM BACK TO MY DEP IN BRYAN, TX.

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.