Pilot of an small aircraft sel aircraft ran out of fuel and made an emergency landing on a road.

Attributes
ACN	248459
Time
Date	199308
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mcn
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
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
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 106 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	248459
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Departed ilm for mcn. Magnetic course 257 degrees, cruise altitude 4500 ft. Decided to land at ogb due to the time to our half way point to get fuel. We were advised to taxi to the fuel island and was met by the line man. I told him to put 4 gallons on each side and went inside to the restroom. Checked the airplane, sumps, caps, oil and departed, cruise altitude 6500 ft. Called hickory FSS on the allendale VOR and received winds for mcn. Approximately 1/2 way to mcn, descended to 3000 ft due to buildup of clouds. Approximately 5 NM from mcn during descent, with the airport in sight and landing clearance, the engine sputtered and came back. I performed a flow check of controls and assumed the engine would quit soon and opted to land on a highway we had just passed. The terrain to the airport was wooded and swampy. I informed the tower of our situation and intentions. The engine continued to run until I performed the shutdown tasks. The landing was uneventful and I positioned the aircraft so as not to block traffic. Relayed, by another aircraft, to tower that everything was ok. Fuel calculations were based on 6 gph which are conservative compared to book values and experience with aircraft performance. While reviewing fuel receipts to verify flight times, I noticed only 4 gallons were put in at ogb. This could have been prevented had I concentrated more on the refueling and less on being late for an appointment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AND MADE AN EMER LNDG ON A ROAD.

Narrative: DEPARTED ILM FOR MCN. MAGNETIC COURSE 257 DEGS, CRUISE ALT 4500 FT. DECIDED TO LAND AT OGB DUE TO THE TIME TO OUR HALF WAY POINT TO GET FUEL. WE WERE ADVISED TO TAXI TO THE FUEL ISLAND AND WAS MET BY THE LINE MAN. I TOLD HIM TO PUT 4 GALLONS ON EACH SIDE AND WENT INSIDE TO THE RESTROOM. CHKED THE AIRPLANE, SUMPS, CAPS, OIL AND DEPARTED, CRUISE ALT 6500 FT. CALLED HICKORY FSS ON THE ALLENDALE VOR AND RECEIVED WINDS FOR MCN. APPROX 1/2 WAY TO MCN, DSNDED TO 3000 FT DUE TO BUILDUP OF CLOUDS. APPROX 5 NM FROM MCN DURING DSCNT, WITH THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND LNDG CLRNC, THE ENG SPUTTERED AND CAME BACK. I PERFORMED A FLOW CHK OF CTLS AND ASSUMED THE ENG WOULD QUIT SOON AND OPTED TO LAND ON A HWY WE HAD JUST PASSED. THE TERRAIN TO THE ARPT WAS WOODED AND SWAMPY. I INFORMED THE TWR OF OUR SIT AND INTENTIONS. THE ENG CONTINUED TO RUN UNTIL I PERFORMED THE SHUTDOWN TASKS. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND I POSITIONED THE ACFT SO AS NOT TO BLOCK TFC. RELAYED, BY ANOTHER ACFT, TO TWR THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK. FUEL CALCULATIONS WERE BASED ON 6 GPH WHICH ARE CONSERVATIVE COMPARED TO BOOK VALUES AND EXPERIENCE WITH ACFT PERFORMANCE. WHILE REVIEWING FUEL RECEIPTS TO VERIFY FLT TIMES, I NOTICED ONLY 4 GALLONS WERE PUT IN AT OGB. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD I CONCENTRATED MORE ON THE REFUELING AND LESS ON BEING LATE FOR AN APPOINTMENT.

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.