Fuel exhaustion caused an off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	272481
Time
Date	199404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pah
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pah
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	272481
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The piper cherokee ran out of fuel. I used duats to get a flight briefing and plan the trip. I had been using 9 gallons/hour as the consumption -- based on the monthly billing my partner and I do. The consumption was between 8 - 8 1/2. So, I figured 9 was generous. The flight plan time was for about 4 hours 35 mins -- which should have left more than 45 mins of fuel. The gauges seemed to confirm that, until I flew over the mississippi. A bump caused the fuel gauges to register 0 (both). I was under ATC control, so I reduced altitude when they told me (FM 7000 to 2500). I was about 5 mi from the airport when the engine stopped -- I switched tanks and hit the electric fuel pump. It restarted -- then the engine stopped again. I told ATC and immediately turned to the airport and began to switch tanks, wiggle the wings, gain altitude. When it was obvious I couldn't make the field, I picked a wheat field with a farm house and road. There was no aircraft damage or injury. Probably the best landing I ever made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL EXHAUSTION CAUSED AN OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: THE PIPER CHEROKEE RAN OUT OF FUEL. I USED DUATS TO GET A FLT BRIEFING AND PLAN THE TRIP. I HAD BEEN USING 9 GALLONS/HR AS THE CONSUMPTION -- BASED ON THE MONTHLY BILLING MY PARTNER AND I DO. THE CONSUMPTION WAS BTWN 8 - 8 1/2. SO, I FIGURED 9 WAS GENEROUS. THE FLT PLAN TIME WAS FOR ABOUT 4 HRS 35 MINS -- WHICH SHOULD HAVE LEFT MORE THAN 45 MINS OF FUEL. THE GAUGES SEEMED TO CONFIRM THAT, UNTIL I FLEW OVER THE MISSISSIPPI. A BUMP CAUSED THE FUEL GAUGES TO REGISTER 0 (BOTH). I WAS UNDER ATC CTL, SO I REDUCED ALT WHEN THEY TOLD ME (FM 7000 TO 2500). I WAS ABOUT 5 MI FROM THE ARPT WHEN THE ENG STOPPED -- I SWITCHED TANKS AND HIT THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. IT RESTARTED -- THEN THE ENG STOPPED AGAIN. I TOLD ATC AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO THE ARPT AND BEGAN TO SWITCH TANKS, WIGGLE THE WINGS, GAIN ALT. WHEN IT WAS OBVIOUS I COULDN'T MAKE THE FIELD, I PICKED A WHEAT FIELD WITH A FARM HOUSE AND ROAD. THERE WAS NO ACFT DAMAGE OR INJURY. PROBABLY THE BEST LNDG I EVER MADE.

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.