Fuel exhaustion in an small aircraft creates an emergency forced off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	206315
Time
Date	199203
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cha
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cha
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 410 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	206315
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far 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 have been flying for 10 yrs, the last 2 yrs with an instrument ticket. I was returning home from leesburg, fl to moline, il with my 14 yr old daughter along. We were going to stop in chattanooga for fuel. I ran out of fuel 8 mi from cha and put my small aircraft down in a field. All of my past practice for forced lndgs had paid off. I landed with no damage to me, my daughter, or to my airplane. This should have been a 4 hour trip. My plane averages 9 gallons per hour use on cruise. I have 48 usable on board so I figure 5 hours on board. This should have gotten me to cha. I did have a 20 mph headwind, but even with wind I was still going over 102 KTS. The trip from lee to cha is 402 mi. I should have had the fuel. I am still trying to go back through my owner's guide and charts to figure if I had made a mistake on fuel usage on climb out. At this point in time and am unsure the whole reason for the fuel exhaustion. I am sure of 1 thing. I will never trust time alone when the gauges are showing a low fuel situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL EXHAUSTION IN AN SMA CREATES AN EMER FORCED OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR 10 YRS, THE LAST 2 YRS WITH AN INST TICKET. I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM LEESBURG, FL TO MOLINE, IL WITH MY 14 YR OLD DAUGHTER ALONG. WE WERE GOING TO STOP IN CHATTANOOGA FOR FUEL. I RAN OUT OF FUEL 8 MI FROM CHA AND PUT MY SMA DOWN IN A FIELD. ALL OF MY PAST PRACTICE FOR FORCED LNDGS HAD PAID OFF. I LANDED WITH NO DAMAGE TO ME, MY DAUGHTER, OR TO MY AIRPLANE. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A 4 HR TRIP. MY PLANE AVERAGES 9 GALLONS PER HR USE ON CRUISE. I HAVE 48 USABLE ON BOARD SO I FIGURE 5 HRS ON BOARD. THIS SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN ME TO CHA. I DID HAVE A 20 MPH HEADWIND, BUT EVEN WITH WIND I WAS STILL GOING OVER 102 KTS. THE TRIP FROM LEE TO CHA IS 402 MI. I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE FUEL. I AM STILL TRYING TO GO BACK THROUGH MY OWNER'S GUIDE AND CHARTS TO FIGURE IF I HAD MADE A MISTAKE ON FUEL USAGE ON CLBOUT. AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND AM UNSURE THE WHOLE REASON FOR THE FUEL EXHAUSTION. I AM SURE OF 1 THING. I WILL NEVER TRUST TIME ALONE WHEN THE GAUGES ARE SHOWING A LOW FUEL 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.