Narrative:

On thursday, jul/xx/94 I was flying a C-150 from troutdale, or to san carlos, ca. For my altitude and power setting, I estimated my range to be 4.1 hours by using the pilot/operator handbook. As older aircraft never run quite as the performance charts claim they do, I subtracted my 30 min 'fudge factor' along with my 30 min reserve to arrive at a 3.1 hour maximum cruise. The aircraft tanks were full, and the plane was parked sideways on a shallow incline to minimize spillage out of the breather tube. I departed troutdale at XA30 PST. At XC50 I was near scott valley airport. I contacted the unicom at scott valley, and confirmed that there was no fuel service available. My 1994 commercial airport facilities guide supported that information as did my current klamath falls sectional. At XD20 I landed at lonnie pool field in weaverville, ca. I had attempted to talk to someone on the unicom frequency before I landed, but my calls went unanswered. I headed for that airport primarily because the symbol depicting it on the sectional describes it as having 'services -- fuel available...' there were no NOTAMS advising to the contrary, and my commercial directory said that the flying service had 100LL. When I landed there, I was advised that they hadn't had fuel service there in over a yr. How was I to know? Nearest fuel was benton field in redding. I estimated about 40 mins of fuel on board, and departed for benton field (20 mins away) at XD40. At XD55, my fuel was exhausted and the engine quit. I declared an emergency on benton field's unicom frequency (122.8) and landed on state route 299. There were no injuries, or property damage, due mostly to luck. As in any fuel exhaustion situation, there is a certain amount of human responsibility, but I can't help feeling betrayed by a system that claims to work so well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OFF ARPT LNDG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: ON THURSDAY, JUL/XX/94 I WAS FLYING A C-150 FROM TROUTDALE, OR TO SAN CARLOS, CA. FOR MY ALT AND PWR SETTING, I ESTIMATED MY RANGE TO BE 4.1 HRS BY USING THE PLT/OPERATOR HANDBOOK. AS OLDER ACFT NEVER RUN QUITE AS THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS CLAIM THEY DO, I SUBTRACTED MY 30 MIN 'FUDGE FACTOR' ALONG WITH MY 30 MIN RESERVE TO ARRIVE AT A 3.1 HR MAX CRUISE. THE ACFT TANKS WERE FULL, AND THE PLANE WAS PARKED SIDEWAYS ON A SHALLOW INCLINE TO MINIMIZE SPILLAGE OUT OF THE BREATHER TUBE. I DEPARTED TROUTDALE AT XA30 PST. AT XC50 I WAS NEAR SCOTT VALLEY ARPT. I CONTACTED THE UNICOM AT SCOTT VALLEY, AND CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL SVC AVAILABLE. MY 1994 COMMERCIAL ARPT FACILITIES GUIDE SUPPORTED THAT INFO AS DID MY CURRENT KLAMATH FALLS SECTIONAL. AT XD20 I LANDED AT LONNIE POOL FIELD IN WEAVERVILLE, CA. I HAD ATTEMPTED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ON THE UNICOM FREQ BEFORE I LANDED, BUT MY CALLS WENT UNANSWERED. I HEADED FOR THAT ARPT PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE SYMBOL DEPICTING IT ON THE SECTIONAL DESCRIBES IT AS HAVING 'SVCS -- FUEL AVAILABLE...' THERE WERE NO NOTAMS ADVISING TO THE CONTRARY, AND MY COMMERCIAL DIRECTORY SAID THAT THE FLYING SVC HAD 100LL. WHEN I LANDED THERE, I WAS ADVISED THAT THEY HADN'T HAD FUEL SVC THERE IN OVER A YR. HOW WAS I TO KNOW? NEAREST FUEL WAS BENTON FIELD IN REDDING. I ESTIMATED ABOUT 40 MINS OF FUEL ON BOARD, AND DEPARTED FOR BENTON FIELD (20 MINS AWAY) AT XD40. AT XD55, MY FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED AND THE ENG QUIT. I DECLARED AN EMER ON BENTON FIELD'S UNICOM FREQ (122.8) AND LANDED ON STATE RTE 299. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, DUE MOSTLY TO LUCK. AS IN ANY FUEL EXHAUSTION SIT, THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY, BUT I CAN'T HELP FEELING BETRAYED BY A SYS THAT CLAIMS TO WORK SO WELL.

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.