Pilot of small aircraft runs out of fuel and forced to land on freeway short of the intended airport...

Attributes
ACN	285559
Time
Date	199410
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : crq
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	285559
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I left palomar airport in a cessna 150 with 3/4 of fuel on the right tank and a little over 1/2 tank on the left one. I went on a south shoreline flight. On my way back, 10 mi south of palomar, my engine start running rough. I tried to identify the problem and take actions while climbing. Reaching 2800 ft I lost my RPM gradually and finally lost my engine. I proceeded with restarting procedures after establishing best glide, still heading toward palomar airport, in vain. I declared an emergency with palomar tower, was given priority to land on runway 6. I realized I wouldn't be able to make palomar and was planning to land on the beach but was losing 500 FPM and at 1400 ft I decided to make the freeway which seemed the last option available. I flew over it as long as I could and finally landed safely on the interstate 5. Nobody was hurt on the ground or in the plane and no property was damaged on the ground or in the plane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA RUNS OUT OF FUEL AND FORCED TO LAND ON FREEWAY SHORT OF THE INTENDED ARPT.

Narrative: I LEFT PALOMAR ARPT IN A CESSNA 150 WITH 3/4 OF FUEL ON THE R TANK AND A LITTLE OVER 1/2 TANK ON THE L ONE. I WENT ON A S SHORELINE FLT. ON MY WAY BACK, 10 MI S OF PALOMAR, MY ENG START RUNNING ROUGH. I TRIED TO IDENT THE PROB AND TAKE ACTIONS WHILE CLBING. REACHING 2800 FT I LOST MY RPM GRADUALLY AND FINALLY LOST MY ENG. I PROCEEDED WITH RESTARTING PROCS AFTER ESTABLISHING BEST GLIDE, STILL HDG TOWARD PALOMAR ARPT, IN VAIN. I DECLARED AN EMER WITH PALOMAR TWR, WAS GIVEN PRIORITY TO LAND ON RWY 6. I REALIZED I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MAKE PALOMAR AND WAS PLANNING TO LAND ON THE BEACH BUT WAS LOSING 500 FPM AND AT 1400 FT I DECIDED TO MAKE THE FREEWAY WHICH SEEMED THE LAST OPTION AVAILABLE. I FLEW OVER IT AS LONG AS I COULD AND FINALLY LANDED SAFELY ON THE INTERSTATE 5. NOBODY WAS HURT ON THE GND OR IN THE PLANE AND NO PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED ON THE GND OR IN THE PLANE.

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.