Narrative:

A VFR flight was planned for the morning of jul/thu/98, from 11D to (lex). WX briefing from altoona flight service indicated marginal VFR during the first part of the flight with improving conditions in the last 1/2 mi of the trip (after zanesville, oh). Current WX showed stations better than MVFR with possible 2-7 mi in fog and mist on the first part of the flight. The trouble spot extended from wheeling, wv, through zanesville, oh. Winds at 3000 ft were 280 degrees at 20 KTS. I calculated ground speed at 90.3 KTS with a true airspeed of 105 KTS. Total time in route was estimated at 3 hours and 23 mins at a heading of 239 degrees and a distance of 306 NM. Total fuel onboard was estimated at 4 hours and 30 mins. The problem arose when en route I had to take a more westerly course to remain in VFR WX. I stayed to the west of zanesville and continued back to my original course south of zanesville. I lost about 30 mins by circumventing the problem area. As I got closer to lexington, I was uncomfortable with my fuel situation, however, I was within the time frame for my fuel estimate. 50 mi northeast of lexington, I decided to refuel at fgx. I circled the field and landed but was informed that no fuel was available (the tanks were being replaced). I received this information while landing and decided not to shut down the engine, but to continue on to lexington. I calculated total flight time would be 4 hours and 10 mins. 4 hours and 5 mins into the flight, the engine stopped 6 mi short of the lexington airport. I was in contact with lexington ATC and radioed I was out of fuel and landing in a pasture field below. When on the ground, I used a cell phone to talk to lexington airport and arrange for fuel to be transported. We estimated the distance of the field and the takeoff performance of the airplane. I loaded 10 gals of fuel and made a soft field takeoff with no incident and landed at lexington blue grass airport. In looking back at the situation, I could have avoided this problem with better fuel management in-flight and/or by setting a personal safety factor for reserve fuel. As I recall the flight, there were several times at the beginning of the flight that altitude changes were necessary for VFR. My original plan was to fly at 3000 ft MSL, however, during the flight my altitude varied from 2000 ft to 3500 ft at different points. These changes in altitude and the landing at fgx burned more fuel than originally estimated. In the future, a 1 hour reserve or nearest airport plus better fuel management will prevent this from happening again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT RAN OUT OF GAS.

Narrative: A VFR FLT WAS PLANNED FOR THE MORNING OF JUL/THU/98, FROM 11D TO (LEX). WX BRIEFING FROM ALTOONA FLT SVC INDICATED MARGINAL VFR DURING THE FIRST PART OF THE FLT WITH IMPROVING CONDITIONS IN THE LAST 1/2 MI OF THE TRIP (AFTER ZANESVILLE, OH). CURRENT WX SHOWED STATIONS BETTER THAN MVFR WITH POSSIBLE 2-7 MI IN FOG AND MIST ON THE FIRST PART OF THE FLT. THE TROUBLE SPOT EXTENDED FROM WHEELING, WV, THROUGH ZANESVILLE, OH. WINDS AT 3000 FT WERE 280 DEGS AT 20 KTS. I CALCULATED GND SPD AT 90.3 KTS WITH A TRUE AIRSPD OF 105 KTS. TOTAL TIME IN RTE WAS ESTIMATED AT 3 HRS AND 23 MINS AT A HDG OF 239 DEGS AND A DISTANCE OF 306 NM. TOTAL FUEL ONBOARD WAS ESTIMATED AT 4 HRS AND 30 MINS. THE PROB AROSE WHEN ENRTE I HAD TO TAKE A MORE WESTERLY COURSE TO REMAIN IN VFR WX. I STAYED TO THE W OF ZANESVILLE AND CONTINUED BACK TO MY ORIGINAL COURSE S OF ZANESVILLE. I LOST ABOUT 30 MINS BY CIRCUMVENTING THE PROB AREA. AS I GOT CLOSER TO LEXINGTON, I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH MY FUEL SIT, HOWEVER, I WAS WITHIN THE TIME FRAME FOR MY FUEL ESTIMATE. 50 MI NE OF LEXINGTON, I DECIDED TO REFUEL AT FGX. I CIRCLED THE FIELD AND LANDED BUT WAS INFORMED THAT NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE (THE TANKS WERE BEING REPLACED). I RECEIVED THIS INFO WHILE LNDG AND DECIDED NOT TO SHUT DOWN THE ENG, BUT TO CONTINUE ON TO LEXINGTON. I CALCULATED TOTAL FLT TIME WOULD BE 4 HRS AND 10 MINS. 4 HRS AND 5 MINS INTO THE FLT, THE ENG STOPPED 6 MI SHORT OF THE LEXINGTON ARPT. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH LEXINGTON ATC AND RADIOED I WAS OUT OF FUEL AND LNDG IN A PASTURE FIELD BELOW. WHEN ON THE GND, I USED A CELL PHONE TO TALK TO LEXINGTON ARPT AND ARRANGE FOR FUEL TO BE TRANSPORTED. WE ESTIMATED THE DISTANCE OF THE FIELD AND THE TKOF PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRPLANE. I LOADED 10 GALS OF FUEL AND MADE A SOFT FIELD TKOF WITH NO INCIDENT AND LANDED AT LEXINGTON BLUE GRASS ARPT. IN LOOKING BACK AT THE SIT, I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS PROB WITH BETTER FUEL MGMNT INFLT AND/OR BY SETTING A PERSONAL SAFETY FACTOR FOR RESERVE FUEL. AS I RECALL THE FLT, THERE WERE SEVERAL TIMES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FLT THAT ALT CHANGES WERE NECESSARY FOR VFR. MY ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO FLY AT 3000 FT MSL, HOWEVER, DURING THE FLT MY ALT VARIED FROM 2000 FT TO 3500 FT AT DIFFERENT POINTS. THESE CHANGES IN ALT AND THE LNDG AT FGX BURNED MORE FUEL THAN ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED. IN THE FUTURE, A 1 HR RESERVE OR NEAREST ARPT PLUS BETTER FUEL MGMNT WILL PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

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.