Off airport landing due fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	236344
Time
Date	199303
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hsi
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3800 msl bound upper : 3800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 200 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	236344
Events
Anomaly	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

Narrative:

I was on a cross country from 9k4 to bff, northeast. When I left for the trip both tanks were topped off giving me 22.5 gallons of usable fuel. This also gives me 4 hours of flight time. I was in the air for 3:15 and was on final approach with my left fuel tank gauge showing 1/4 tank of fuel left. Showing 1/4 of a tank of fuel left and only being in the air for this amount of time, it would have let me land with no problem, and still have my adequate amount of VFR fuel reserve. With me using the proper pilots operating handbook, using LORAN, GPS, and getting all of my cross country information off of the dtc duat WX and cross country planner, all of these showed me that there was adequate fuel and time to reach my fuel stop. The only thing that I might be able to say to help prevent these occurrences is to have the fuel tank gauges checked for accuracy or make some way possible to determine the specific fuel consumption for that specific aircraft so just a general fuel consumption doesn't have to be used, because every aircraft is different, and one general fuel consumption isn't adequate for every aircraft in the united states.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OFF ARPT LNDG DUE FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: I WAS ON A XCOUNTRY FROM 9K4 TO BFF, NE. WHEN I LEFT FOR THE TRIP BOTH TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF GIVING ME 22.5 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL. THIS ALSO GIVES ME 4 HRS OF FLT TIME. I WAS IN THE AIR FOR 3:15 AND WAS ON FINAL APCH WITH MY L FUEL TANK GAUGE SHOWING 1/4 TANK OF FUEL LEFT. SHOWING 1/4 OF A TANK OF FUEL LEFT AND ONLY BEING IN THE AIR FOR THIS AMOUNT OF TIME, IT WOULD HAVE LET ME LAND WITH NO PROB, AND STILL HAVE MY ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF VFR FUEL RESERVE. WITH ME USING THE PROPER PLTS OPERATING HANDBOOK, USING LORAN, GPS, AND GETTING ALL OF MY XCOUNTRY INFO OFF OF THE DTC DUAT WX AND XCOUNTRY PLANNER, ALL OF THESE SHOWED ME THAT THERE WAS ADEQUATE FUEL AND TIME TO REACH MY FUEL STOP. THE ONLY THING THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAY TO HELP PREVENT THESE OCCURRENCES IS TO HAVE THE FUEL TANK GAUGES CHKED FOR ACCURACY OR MAKE SOME WAY POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE SPECIFIC FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THAT SPECIFIC ACFT SO JUST A GENERAL FUEL CONSUMPTION DOESN'T HAVE TO BE USED, BECAUSE EVERY ACFT IS DIFFERENT, AND ONE GENERAL FUEL CONSUMPTION ISN'T ADEQUATE FOR EVERY ACFT IN THE UNITED STATES.

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.