PA28 pilot makes forced landing due to fuel starvation.

Attributes
ACN	438504
Time
Date	199905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	438504
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After receiving flight planning information from duats, and reviewing performance charts for the piper archer ii I was flying, I filed a flight plan, fueled the aircraft, and left mineral point, wi. During cruise portion of the flight, I kept looking at my watch and fuel gauges as I had determined I had approximately 5 hours of fuel on board. I leaned the reciprocating engine as much as I felt comfortable doing (given I did not have a fuel flow gauge or fuel computer on the aircraft). On approach to nashville, approach control kept me on approximately a 10 mi left downwind to runway 2R. I asked for somewhat of a shorter approach, but I was to follow a learjet. At this point the engine began to cough and sputter. I turned on the fuel pump and switched fuel tanks. I told approach I needed to go straight to the airport. I turned toward the airport as the other fuel tank began to run dry. I kept switching tanks and rolling the airplane to get more fuel out, but I was about 3 mi short of the runway. I saw a wide road, and decided that was where I was going to land. As I set up for my forced landing, I noticed there was a red light for the traffic below. I set the airplane down with no damage to me or the airplane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT MAKES FORCED LNDG DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING FLT PLANNING INFO FROM DUATS, AND REVIEWING PERFORMANCE CHARTS FOR THE PIPER ARCHER II I WAS FLYING, I FILED A FLT PLAN, FUELED THE ACFT, AND LEFT MINERAL POINT, WI. DURING CRUISE PORTION OF THE FLT, I KEPT LOOKING AT MY WATCH AND FUEL GAUGES AS I HAD DETERMINED I HAD APPROX 5 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD. I LEANED THE RECIPROCATING ENG AS MUCH AS I FELT COMFORTABLE DOING (GIVEN I DID NOT HAVE A FUEL FLOW GAUGE OR FUEL COMPUTER ON THE ACFT). ON APCH TO NASHVILLE, APCH CTL KEPT ME ON APPROX A 10 MI L DOWNWIND TO RWY 2R. I ASKED FOR SOMEWHAT OF A SHORTER APCH, BUT I WAS TO FOLLOW A LEARJET. AT THIS POINT THE ENG BEGAN TO COUGH AND SPUTTER. I TURNED ON THE FUEL PUMP AND SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. I TOLD APCH I NEEDED TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE ARPT. I TURNED TOWARD THE ARPT AS THE OTHER FUEL TANK BEGAN TO RUN DRY. I KEPT SWITCHING TANKS AND ROLLING THE AIRPLANE TO GET MORE FUEL OUT, BUT I WAS ABOUT 3 MI SHORT OF THE RWY. I SAW A WIDE ROAD, AND DECIDED THAT WAS WHERE I WAS GOING TO LAND. AS I SET UP FOR MY FORCED LNDG, I NOTICED THERE WAS A RED LIGHT FOR THE TFC BELOW. I SET THE AIRPLANE DOWN WITH NO DAMAGE TO ME OR THE AIRPLANE.

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.