Narrative:

In 3/91, I was getting ready to fly my aircraft out of lvk. Before departing, I filled both fuel tanks and visually inspected both tanks after fueling. I then made my preflight. I departed lvk at XA35 pm. I flew to O22 at 3500'. I flew in that general vicinity for 2 hours (including flying time for lvk). I then made my return trip to lvk, which is approximately a 1 hour flight. In the small aircraft which I was flying, 4 hours fuel is generally regarded as a safe amount of fuel consumption. I ran out of fuel approximately 3:15 into my flight at XD50 pm. As I approached the downwind pattern to land at lvk, the engine started to miss. The fuel gauges showed a little less than 1/4 tank. I immediately radioed the tower that I thought I might be running out of gas, from the sound of the engine. I thought by the time I arrived at lvk I would have at least 45 mins-1 hour of fuel left. Not being totally sure the aircraft was indeed out of gas, I immediately used emergency procedures and left the master switch on and came on for my landing. I landed west/O accident or damage to aircraft or property, on the taxiway next to runway 7R. On inspection of the fuel tanks, I found the aircraft was definitely out of gas. The aircraft which I was flying was using approximately 7.8 gals of fuel per hour. This is an unusual amount of fuel to be used, even if being ran too rich. However, in the future, I would make sure the aircraft is properly leaned out at cruise altitudes. I realize that one should not depend on fuel gauges. I also realize that WX and wind have an important part in fuel management. The major corrective action that I would make in the future, as I stated before, is to have aircraft leaned properly at any cruising altitudes. I think this was the key factor in this situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PVT PLT RUNS OUT OF GAS ON DOWNWIND AND PERFORMS LNDG ON TXWY.

Narrative: IN 3/91, I WAS GETTING READY TO FLY MY ACFT OUT OF LVK. BEFORE DEPARTING, I FILLED BOTH FUEL TANKS AND VISUALLY INSPECTED BOTH TANKS AFTER FUELING. I THEN MADE MY PREFLT. I DEPARTED LVK AT XA35 PM. I FLEW TO O22 AT 3500'. I FLEW IN THAT GENERAL VICINITY FOR 2 HRS (INCLUDING FLYING TIME FOR LVK). I THEN MADE MY RETURN TRIP TO LVK, WHICH IS APPROX A 1 HR FLT. IN THE SMA WHICH I WAS FLYING, 4 HRS FUEL IS GENERALLY REGARDED AS A SAFE AMOUNT OF FUEL CONSUMPTION. I RAN OUT OF FUEL APPROX 3:15 INTO MY FLT AT XD50 PM. AS I APCHED THE DOWNWIND PATTERN TO LAND AT LVK, THE ENG STARTED TO MISS. THE FUEL GAUGES SHOWED A LITTLE LESS THAN 1/4 TANK. I IMMEDIATELY RADIOED THE TWR THAT I THOUGHT I MIGHT BE RUNNING OUT OF GAS, FROM THE SOUND OF THE ENG. I THOUGHT BY THE TIME I ARRIVED AT LVK I WOULD HAVE AT LEAST 45 MINS-1 HR OF FUEL LEFT. NOT BEING TOTALLY SURE THE ACFT WAS INDEED OUT OF GAS, I IMMEDIATELY USED EMER PROCS AND LEFT THE MASTER SWITCH ON AND CAME ON FOR MY LNDG. I LANDED W/O ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE TO ACFT OR PROPERTY, ON THE TXWY NEXT TO RWY 7R. ON INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANKS, I FOUND THE ACFT WAS DEFINITELY OUT OF GAS. THE ACFT WHICH I WAS FLYING WAS USING APPROX 7.8 GALS OF FUEL PER HR. THIS IS AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF FUEL TO BE USED, EVEN IF BEING RAN TOO RICH. HOWEVER, IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD MAKE SURE THE ACFT IS PROPERLY LEANED OUT AT CRUISE ALTS. I REALIZE THAT ONE SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON FUEL GAUGES. I ALSO REALIZE THAT WX AND WIND HAVE AN IMPORTANT PART IN FUEL MGMNT. THE MAJOR CORRECTIVE ACTION THAT I WOULD MAKE IN THE FUTURE, AS I STATED BEFORE, IS TO HAVE ACFT LEANED PROPERLY AT ANY CRUISING ALTS. I THINK THIS WAS THE KEY FACTOR IN THIS SITUATION.

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.