GA pilot runs out of fuel.

Attributes
ACN	160985
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tul
State Reference	OK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phl
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	160985
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
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:

A friend and I left tul for spf. We did some local flying and on our way back to tul (we had stopped at spf and bought some gas), when we were about 10 NM from tul inbound, our motor quit and I made an emergency landing on the will rogers turnpike (I-44). There were no injuries and no damage to the aircraft or anyone on the ground. The cause of the engine failure was fuel exhaustion. Afterward the police stopped the road and I took off to tul. We were topped off before leaving tul and bought 9.6 gals at spf, giving a total usable fuel of 34.1 gals. The hobbs time was 5.1 hours when the engine quit. According to the aircraft manual, we had about 1 hour reserve when it quit. At this point I'm not sure what went wrong (leaking gas cap not put on right, or a motor that just uses more fuel), but form now on I won't cut it so close and add extra to what the book says!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT RUNS OUT OF FUEL.

Narrative: A FRIEND AND I LEFT TUL FOR SPF. WE DID SOME LCL FLYING AND ON OUR WAY BACK TO TUL (WE HAD STOPPED AT SPF AND BOUGHT SOME GAS), WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 10 NM FROM TUL INBND, OUR MOTOR QUIT AND I MADE AN EMER LNDG ON THE WILL ROGERS TURNPIKE (I-44). THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR ANYONE ON THE GND. THE CAUSE OF THE ENG FAILURE WAS FUEL EXHAUSTION. AFTERWARD THE POLICE STOPPED THE ROAD AND I TOOK OFF TO TUL. WE WERE TOPPED OFF BEFORE LEAVING TUL AND BOUGHT 9.6 GALS AT SPF, GIVING A TOTAL USABLE FUEL OF 34.1 GALS. THE HOBBS TIME WAS 5.1 HRS WHEN THE ENG QUIT. ACCORDING TO THE ACFT MANUAL, WE HAD ABOUT 1 HR RESERVE WHEN IT QUIT. AT THIS POINT I'M NOT SURE WHAT WENT WRONG (LEAKING GAS CAP NOT PUT ON RIGHT, OR A MOTOR THAT JUST USES MORE FUEL), BUT FORM NOW ON I WON'T CUT IT SO CLOSE AND ADD EXTRA TO WHAT THE BOOK SAYS!

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.