Small aircraft runs out of fuel and lands in a field over 50 miles short of his destination.

Attributes
ACN	175061
Time
Date	199104
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crw
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1725 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	175061
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was returning to pt pleasant, wv from jacksonville, fl. The WX was VFR. My flight plan estimated time en route was 3.5 hours. The fuel tanks were topped in jacksonville. The aircraft normally burns approximately 12-13 gph--a good 4.5-5 hours of fuel. I departed jacksonville at xa:30 local time. It took me approximately 2.5 hours to get to bzm and I decided I would stop in crw for fuel. The engine quit at xe:30 local and I was forced to land in a field 15 mi southeast of crw. Fuel exhaustion proved to be the cause of the engine to stop. After refueling and returning to mason county, I checked the entire fuel system. There was a small leak around the gascolator gasket. I replaced the gasket. Contributing to the fuel exhaustion were strong winds over the mountains of va and wv and the small fuel leak. Possible the power settings used slightly more fuel than usual.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA RUNS OUT OF FUEL AND LANDS IN A FIELD OVER 50 MILES SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING TO PT PLEASANT, WV FROM JACKSONVILLE, FL. THE WX WAS VFR. MY FLT PLAN ESTIMATED TIME ENRTE WAS 3.5 HRS. THE FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED IN JACKSONVILLE. THE ACFT NORMALLY BURNS APPROX 12-13 GPH--A GOOD 4.5-5 HRS OF FUEL. I DEPARTED JACKSONVILLE AT XA:30 LCL TIME. IT TOOK ME APPROX 2.5 HRS TO GET TO BZM AND I DECIDED I WOULD STOP IN CRW FOR FUEL. THE ENG QUIT AT XE:30 LCL AND I WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FIELD 15 MI SE OF CRW. FUEL EXHAUSTION PROVED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE ENG TO STOP. AFTER REFUELING AND RETURNING TO MASON COUNTY, I CHKED THE ENTIRE FUEL SYS. THERE WAS A SMALL LEAK AROUND THE GASCOLATOR GASKET. I REPLACED THE GASKET. CONTRIBUTING TO THE FUEL EXHAUSTION WERE STRONG WINDS OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF VA AND WV AND THE SMALL FUEL LEAK. POSSIBLE THE PWR SETTINGS USED SLIGHTLY MORE FUEL THAN USUAL.

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.