Narrative:

We were returning from a wkend trip in a rented small aircraft on a cross country distance of 397 NM. I was a passenger sitting next to the pilot. I began to experience physical discomfort at our cruising altitude of 8500 MSL. We descended to 6500 MSL. Approximately 3 1/2 hours into the flight and less than 50 NM from our destination, the pilot and I became aware of the low fuel state and the pilot became anxious. After 20 min, the engine began to run rough. We switched tanks each time the engine began to run rough. We were receiving VFR flight following from ZME. Center was giving vectors to the next airport when the engine began to run rough. The engine died approximately 3 to 4 mi from the airport and at an altitude of 4500 MSL. The total time from the beginning of engine trouble to engine failure was less than 5 min. The pilot began a gliding approach to the airport, but we were unable to make the filed. We executed a forced landing on a highway. No damage to aircraft or to passenger. Contributing factors to the incident were a lack of preflight planning and unfamiliarity with the aircraft on the part of the pilot. I will assure that I am familiar with the performance of aircraft in which I am flying or riding as a passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER OFF ARPT LNDG PERFORMED WHEN SMA SUFFERS ENG FAILURE FROM FUEL STARVATION EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: WE WERE RETURNING FROM A WKEND TRIP IN A RENTED SMA ON A XCOUNTRY DISTANCE OF 397 NM. I WAS A PAX SITTING NEXT TO THE PLT. I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT AT OUR CRUISING ALT OF 8500 MSL. WE DSNDED TO 6500 MSL. APPROX 3 1/2 HRS INTO THE FLT AND LESS THAN 50 NM FROM OUR DEST, THE PLT AND I BECAME AWARE OF THE LOW FUEL STATE AND THE PLT BECAME ANXIOUS. AFTER 20 MIN, THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. WE SWITCHED TANKS EACH TIME THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. WE WERE RECEIVING VFR FLT FOLLOWING FROM ZME. CTR WAS GIVING VECTORS TO THE NEXT ARPT WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE ENG DIED APPROX 3 TO 4 MI FROM THE ARPT AND AT AN ALT OF 4500 MSL. THE TOTAL TIME FROM THE BEGINNING OF ENG TROUBLE TO ENG FAILURE WAS LESS THAN 5 MIN. THE PLT BEGAN A GLIDING APCH TO THE ARPT, BUT WE WERE UNABLE TO MAKE THE FILED. WE EXECUTED A FORCED LNDG ON A HWY. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR TO PAX. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE INCIDENT WERE A LACK OF PREFLT PLANNING AND UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ACFT ON THE PART OF THE PLT. I WILL ASSURE THAT I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF ACFT IN WHICH I AM FLYING OR RIDING AS A PAX.

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.