Fuel exhaustion creates an off airport emergency forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	168377
Time
Date	199101
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tys
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tys artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1250 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	168377
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

3 mi from runway engine quit, tank was switched and fuel pump turned on with no positive response, tower was notified that aircraft was west/O power and going down short of runway, at this time I aimed aircraft for 4 lane highway while trying to restart. Laned safely on highway. After landing aircraft was towed to tys for inspection by ai, it was found that portside fuel sump drain had been leaking evidenced by wet stains on port wing. Fuel gauges read, 'starboard empty and port 1/8.' starboard tank was run dry 1 hour and 20 min before normal fuel balance for me is to burn 1 hour or so per side before switching tanks. When aircraft engine quit I made what I believe to be the only safe decision which was to land on a lighted 4 lane highway which had very light traffic at the time landing was made west/O incident. Local FAA and airport emergency crews should be commended for their quick and accurate response to an aircraft in trouble.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL EXHAUSTION CREATES AN OFF ARPT EMERGENCY FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: 3 MI FROM RWY ENG QUIT, TANK WAS SWITCHED AND FUEL PUMP TURNED ON WITH NO POSITIVE RESPONSE, TWR WAS NOTIFIED THAT ACFT WAS W/O PWR AND GOING DOWN SHORT OF RWY, AT THIS TIME I AIMED ACFT FOR 4 LANE HWY WHILE TRYING TO RESTART. LANED SAFELY ON HWY. AFTER LNDG ACFT WAS TOWED TO TYS FOR INSPECTION BY AI, IT WAS FOUND THAT PORTSIDE FUEL SUMP DRAIN HAD BEEN LEAKING EVIDENCED BY WET STAINS ON PORT WING. FUEL GAUGES READ, 'STARBOARD EMPTY AND PORT 1/8.' STARBOARD TANK WAS RUN DRY 1 HR AND 20 MIN BEFORE NORMAL FUEL BALANCE FOR ME IS TO BURN 1 HR OR SO PER SIDE BEFORE SWITCHING TANKS. WHEN ACFT ENG QUIT I MADE WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE ONLY SAFE DECISION WHICH WAS TO LAND ON A LIGHTED 4 LANE HWY WHICH HAD VERY LIGHT TFC AT THE TIME LNDG WAS MADE W/O INCIDENT. LCL FAA AND ARPT EMER CREWS SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR QUICK AND ACCURATE RESPONSE TO AN ACFT IN TROUBLE.

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.