Narrative:

The problem arose during preflight, the right wing was about 1/4 inch over the 17 gal tab, the left wing was about a 1/4 inch under the tab. That was 3.4 hours at 10 gph. The flight plan was reno-austin-reno. About 2 hours 20 mins total. 7 mi east of reno engine stopped and I landed about 1 mi short of runway and to the north to avoid houses. Afterward we went through fuel receipts and found that it had not been fueled, and there was an additional 1.2 hours on the airplane after fueling to the tabs. I am very serious about preflight and I was sure there was fuel almost to tab. To correct this problem I will add additional fuel, in order to cover tab. Although it looked 1/4 inch below tab it had to be about 4 inches below tab, an optical illusion. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the aircraft received damage to the fixed landing gear and wheel pants and wing spars. However, the wing spar damage was not found until after the mishap had been classified as an incident and the NTSB would not make a reclassification to an accident. He further stated that the aircraft was a piper PA28-180 and that the FAA notified him for a re-examination after their investigation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA28-180 LANDED SHORT OF RWY OFF ARPT AFTER THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE DURING PREFLT, THE R WING WAS ABOUT 1/4 INCH OVER THE 17 GAL TAB, THE L WING WAS ABOUT A 1/4 INCH UNDER THE TAB. THAT WAS 3.4 HRS AT 10 GPH. THE FLT PLAN WAS RENO-AUSTIN-RENO. ABOUT 2 HRS 20 MINS TOTAL. 7 MI E OF RENO ENG STOPPED AND I LANDED ABOUT 1 MI SHORT OF RWY AND TO THE N TO AVOID HOUSES. AFTERWARD WE WENT THROUGH FUEL RECEIPTS AND FOUND THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN FUELED, AND THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL 1.2 HRS ON THE AIRPLANE AFTER FUELING TO THE TABS. I AM VERY SERIOUS ABOUT PREFLT AND I WAS SURE THERE WAS FUEL ALMOST TO TAB. TO CORRECT THIS PROB I WILL ADD ADDITIONAL FUEL, IN ORDER TO COVER TAB. ALTHOUGH IT LOOKED 1/4 INCH BELOW TAB IT HAD TO BE ABOUT 4 INCHES BELOW TAB, AN OPTICAL ILLUSION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE ACFT RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE FIXED LNDG GEAR AND WHEEL PANTS AND WING SPARS. HOWEVER, THE WING SPAR DAMAGE WAS NOT FOUND UNTIL AFTER THE MISHAP HAD BEEN CLASSIFIED AS AN INCIDENT AND THE NTSB WOULD NOT MAKE A RECLASSIFICATION TO AN ACCIDENT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS A PIPER PA28-180 AND THAT THE FAA NOTIFIED HIM FOR A RE-EXAMINATION AFTER THEIR 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.