Narrative:

A VFR flight began at ryy to eye with a planned intermediate stop at pell city, in, because only 25 gallons of fuel were on board (l-hand tank dry due to need for fuel sealant to cure). The aircraft consistently burned 9.5 gallons per hour, therefore, flight was to be no more than 2 hours with 30 mins reserve. Flight following was used until the field at pell city was in sight. Visual and radio xmissions indicated there was no fuel or personnel at pell city and the decision was made to continue to huntingburg, in, 16 mi north, since an elapsed time of 1:55 indicated :35 mins fuel remaining. Approximately 6 mi south of huntingburg the engine quit. When engine quit emergency procedure were followed. The farm land was very hilly with short cycle dips and peaks. The decision was made to land on county road since traffic was sparse and human safety was threatened otherwise. The decision to leave landing gear up was based on inability to see over crest of hill once the aircraft was at low level, and the possibility existed that automatic traffic may be just over the hill crest. No satisfactory explanation was determined as to why fuel exhaustion occurred after only 1:55 hours. But, it's now obvious the intention to land at pell city, in, should have occurred, and the decision to go an additional 16 mi was a mistake (although 35 mins of fuel was thought to be on board). The performance of the emergency procedures were well executed, considering all factors involved. There was no injury to anyone in the aircraft (2 persons) or on the ground, and only minor damage to the aircraft due to this incident. Note: in addition to flying over pell city, the aircraft was flown an additional 4-5 mi west over hancock(?) which also showed no signs of having any activity or fuel. At that time a call was made and a response was received from huntingburg airport 16 mi north.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A MOONEY M20C MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG WHEN HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. PLT INDICATES HE SHOULD HAVE LANDED AT THE ORIGINAL DESTINATION.

Narrative: A VFR FLT BEGAN AT RYY TO EYE WITH A PLANNED INTERMEDIATE STOP AT PELL CITY, IN, BECAUSE ONLY 25 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE ON BOARD (L-HAND TANK DRY DUE TO NEED FOR FUEL SEALANT TO CURE). THE ACFT CONSISTENTLY BURNED 9.5 GALLONS PER HR, THEREFORE, FLT WAS TO BE NO MORE THAN 2 HRS WITH 30 MINS RESERVE. FLT FOLLOWING WAS USED UNTIL THE FIELD AT PELL CITY WAS IN SIGHT. VISUAL AND RADIO XMISSIONS INDICATED THERE WAS NO FUEL OR PERSONNEL AT PELL CITY AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO CONTINUE TO HUNTINGBURG, IN, 16 MI N, SINCE AN ELAPSED TIME OF 1:55 INDICATED :35 MINS FUEL REMAINING. APPROX 6 MI S OF HUNTINGBURG THE ENG QUIT. WHEN ENG QUIT EMER PROC WERE FOLLOWED. THE FARM LAND WAS VERY HILLY WITH SHORT CYCLE DIPS AND PEAKS. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND ON COUNTY ROAD SINCE TFC WAS SPARSE AND HUMAN SAFETY WAS THREATENED OTHERWISE. THE DECISION TO LEAVE LNDG GEAR UP WAS BASED ON INABILITY TO SEE OVER CREST OF HILL ONCE THE ACFT WAS AT LOW LEVEL, AND THE POSSIBILITY EXISTED THAT AUTO TFC MAY BE JUST OVER THE HILL CREST. NO SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION WAS DETERMINED AS TO WHY FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED AFTER ONLY 1:55 HRS. BUT, IT'S NOW OBVIOUS THE INTENTION TO LAND AT PELL CITY, IN, SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED, AND THE DECISION TO GO AN ADDITIONAL 16 MI WAS A MISTAKE (ALTHOUGH 35 MINS OF FUEL WAS THOUGHT TO BE ON BOARD). THE PERFORMANCE OF THE EMER PROCS WERE WELL EXECUTED, CONSIDERING ALL FACTORS INVOLVED. THERE WAS NO INJURY TO ANYONE IN THE ACFT (2 PERSONS) OR ON THE GND, AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT DUE TO THIS INCIDENT. NOTE: IN ADDITION TO FLYING OVER PELL CITY, THE ACFT WAS FLOWN AN ADDITIONAL 4-5 MI W OVER HANCOCK(?) WHICH ALSO SHOWED NO SIGNS OF HAVING ANY ACTIVITY OR FUEL. AT THAT TIME A CALL WAS MADE AND A RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED FROM HUNTINGBURG ARPT 16 MI N.

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.