Antique small aircraft pilot makes emergency landing on freeway when he runs out of fuel.

Attributes
ACN	207396
Time
Date	199204
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bqm
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bos
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 11517
ASRS Report	207396
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had preflted my small aircraft for a local pleasure flight from bqm to a friends sod airstrip 15 mi east. This trip normally takes 15 mins and at my fuel burn of 5 gallons per hour should only use about 2 gallons. I like to keep the airplane 1/2 full -- about 20 gallons. Since with only 100 hp -- it needs to be light for good performance at a 1500 ft sod strip. I had last flown the aircraft a week before and put in 10 gallons. As the aircraft sits on the ramp with the tail down, I can't even read this amount on the old-original equipment wire float fuel gauges. I shook the wing to hear the fuel slosh -- but obviously I couldn't tell the amount like this. Anyway -- I started losing power and made a precautionary landing on a freeway. No one was hurt and nothing was damaged. In the future I won't let the fuel quantity fall below my ability to read it on the fuel gauges.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ANTIQUE SMA PLT MAKES EMER LNDG ON FREEWAY WHEN HE RUNS OUT OF FUEL.

Narrative: I HAD PREFLTED MY SMA FOR A LCL PLEASURE FLT FROM BQM TO A FRIENDS SOD AIRSTRIP 15 MI E. THIS TRIP NORMALLY TAKES 15 MINS AND AT MY FUEL BURN OF 5 GALLONS PER HR SHOULD ONLY USE ABOUT 2 GALLONS. I LIKE TO KEEP THE AIRPLANE 1/2 FULL -- ABOUT 20 GALLONS. SINCE WITH ONLY 100 HP -- IT NEEDS TO BE LIGHT FOR GOOD PERFORMANCE AT A 1500 FT SOD STRIP. I HAD LAST FLOWN THE ACFT A WK BEFORE AND PUT IN 10 GALLONS. AS THE ACFT SITS ON THE RAMP WITH THE TAIL DOWN, I CAN'T EVEN READ THIS AMOUNT ON THE OLD-ORIGINAL EQUIP WIRE FLOAT FUEL GAUGES. I SHOOK THE WING TO HEAR THE FUEL SLOSH -- BUT OBVIOUSLY I COULDN'T TELL THE AMOUNT LIKE THIS. ANYWAY -- I STARTED LOSING PWR AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG ON A FREEWAY. NO ONE WAS HURT AND NOTHING WAS DAMAGED. IN THE FUTURE I WON'T LET THE FUEL QUANTITY FALL BELOW MY ABILITY TO READ IT ON THE FUEL GAUGES.

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.