C-172 engine momentarily quit as a result of fuel starvation. Emergency declared.

Attributes
ACN	306246
Time
Date	199505
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cxl
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	DVR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 220 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	306246
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While flying from mexicali mexico to calexico ca I became lost. I was flying inbound to the imperial VOR when the engine quit. I circled to land in a field when at approximately 300 ft AGL the engine began to run. I climbed called san diego radio declared an emergency. Squawked '7700' and was handed off to ZLA who vectored me to calexico. I landed calexico and found the tanks bone dry. They took 54.9 gals and supposed to hold 54.0, with 52 usable (172). I can only imagine that as I pitched up to slow down that fuel in tank went to pickup and allowed me to climb and get to calexico. I later found on 2 subsequent legs of this trip on same day that the engine was burning 11 plus gals/hour book says 8.5 maximum. This is why I was caught short. Cause of excessive fuel burn unknown FBO investigation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C-172 ENG MOMENTARILY QUIT AS A RESULT OF FUEL STARVATION. EMER DECLARED.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING FROM MEXICALI MEXICO TO CALEXICO CA I BECAME LOST. I WAS FLYING INBOUND TO THE IMPERIAL VOR WHEN THE ENG QUIT. I CIRCLED TO LAND IN A FIELD WHEN AT APPROX 300 FT AGL THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN. I CLBED CALLED SAN DIEGO RADIO DECLARED AN EMER. SQUAWKED '7700' AND WAS HANDED OFF TO ZLA WHO VECTORED ME TO CALEXICO. I LANDED CALEXICO AND FOUND THE TANKS BONE DRY. THEY TOOK 54.9 GALS AND SUPPOSED TO HOLD 54.0, WITH 52 USABLE (172). I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT AS I PITCHED UP TO SLOW DOWN THAT FUEL IN TANK WENT TO PICKUP AND ALLOWED ME TO CLB AND GET TO CALEXICO. I LATER FOUND ON 2 SUBSEQUENT LEGS OF THIS TRIP ON SAME DAY THAT THE ENG WAS BURNING 11 PLUS GALS/HR BOOK SAYS 8.5 MAX. THIS IS WHY I WAS CAUGHT SHORT. CAUSE OF EXCESSIVE FUEL BURN UNKNOWN FBO INVESTIGATION.

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.