Narrative:

After arriving at cxo, I gave FBO instructions to fill both fuel tanks to 1/2 inch below filler neck. I returned 4 days later at approximately AB30 am, turned in rental car and checked WX, preflted the aircraft and looked in both fuel tanks. The level seemed lower than I had requested but not so low that I was suspicious. I departed cxo, VFR to M78 (malvern, ar, 274 NM), climbed to 5500 ft. After passing shv, I noticed the fuel consumption was more than normal, but hot afternoon turbulence had the fuel needles bouncing around a lot. The right tank ran dry soon after I changed over to it. I was in contact with ZFW, VFR flight following. I advised them that I was going to divert to magnolia, ar. I began descending to magnolia and ft worth terminated my radar service. I did not feel that getting to magnolia would be a problem, but as I proceeded, I became concerned that I might run out of fuel, so I chose a good looking pasture and made a precautionary landing. No damage. Wife and I walked to farm house, called ago FBO for fuel. They brought 10 gals to me. Farmer mowed a strip for me and I took off and flew to ago (5 NM), landed and filled up. No damage except to my pride. Contributing factors: I have a billing account at cxo so no fuel receipt was given to me, and my visual inspection did not clue me in to the fact that I had not been fueled. I should have requested a fuel receipt. I should have used a measuring stick in the tanks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT PERFORMS AN OFF ARPT PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WHEN HE SUSPECTS THAT ALL IS NOT WELL IN THE FUEL QUANTITY DEPT. LANDS IN A PASTURE 5 MI FROM HIS DIVERSIONARY ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER ARRIVING AT CXO, I GAVE FBO INSTRUCTIONS TO FILL BOTH FUEL TANKS TO 1/2 INCH BELOW FILLER NECK. I RETURNED 4 DAYS LATER AT APPROX AB30 AM, TURNED IN RENTAL CAR AND CHKED WX, PREFLTED THE ACFT AND LOOKED IN BOTH FUEL TANKS. THE LEVEL SEEMED LOWER THAN I HAD REQUESTED BUT NOT SO LOW THAT I WAS SUSPICIOUS. I DEPARTED CXO, VFR TO M78 (MALVERN, AR, 274 NM), CLBED TO 5500 FT. AFTER PASSING SHV, I NOTICED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS MORE THAN NORMAL, BUT HOT AFTERNOON TURB HAD THE FUEL NEEDLES BOUNCING AROUND A LOT. THE R TANK RAN DRY SOON AFTER I CHANGED OVER TO IT. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZFW, VFR FLT FOLLOWING. I ADVISED THEM THAT I WAS GOING TO DIVERT TO MAGNOLIA, AR. I BEGAN DSNDING TO MAGNOLIA AND FT WORTH TERMINATED MY RADAR SVC. I DID NOT FEEL THAT GETTING TO MAGNOLIA WOULD BE A PROB, BUT AS I PROCEEDED, I BECAME CONCERNED THAT I MIGHT RUN OUT OF FUEL, SO I CHOSE A GOOD LOOKING PASTURE AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. NO DAMAGE. WIFE AND I WALKED TO FARM HOUSE, CALLED AGO FBO FOR FUEL. THEY BROUGHT 10 GALS TO ME. FARMER MOWED A STRIP FOR ME AND I TOOK OFF AND FLEW TO AGO (5 NM), LANDED AND FILLED UP. NO DAMAGE EXCEPT TO MY PRIDE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I HAVE A BILLING ACCOUNT AT CXO SO NO FUEL RECEIPT WAS GIVEN TO ME, AND MY VISUAL INSPECTION DID NOT CLUE ME IN TO THE FACT THAT I HAD NOT BEEN FUELED. I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED A FUEL RECEIPT. I SHOULD HAVE USED A MEASURING STICK IN THE TANKS.

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.