Narrative:

I had just purchased and took receipt of a 1962 C172 on mar/sat/00. It just had a thorough annual inspection and had been brought into IFR currency. On mar/sun/00 I filled the tanks with 100LL in hays, ks, and flew back to ness city, ks. I then departed ness city, VFR, on mar/sat/00 with what I calculated to be and visually indicated to be 28 gallons of fuel. I flew for 2.5 hours before the plane sputtered and died, switched tanks, sputtered and died. I was using flight following from ZKC on 134.9. I informed them that I thought I was out of fuel and would be landing probably on the highway below me. I then made arrangements with a nearby FBO to call center and indicate that I was all right. The FAA called and we discussed the incident, during which they asked about my medical. I discovered that it was 40 days past. However, I have an appointment to get it renewed today, mar/wed/00. The fact that my medical was over was strictly unintentional and an oversight. My opinion is that the incident occurred because the gauges read incorrectly with respect to the amount of fuel indicated, as well as the fuel burn in this particular aircraft is more than 8 gph during the flying I was doing. Additionally, I didn't visually check the tanks after filling in hays, ks. I am getting a calibrated measure that I can visually assure the quantity in each tank. The problem arose when my fuel gauges showed 1/4 tank and the plane ran out of fuel. I had only owned the airplane for 1 week. The fuel gauges and my fuel burn calculations were approximately in agreement. I didn't visually verify the tanks were full after the line boy was finished filling them. From now on I will figure at least 2 gph more than the manufacturer's recommendations. I was figuring 8 gph and the plane was burning closer to 10 gph. I will purchase a calibrated measuring stick.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PVT PLT RUNS OUT OF GAS AND LANDS ON A HWY NE OF HRU, KS.

Narrative: I HAD JUST PURCHASED AND TOOK RECEIPT OF A 1962 C172 ON MAR/SAT/00. IT JUST HAD A THOROUGH ANNUAL INSPECTION AND HAD BEEN BROUGHT INTO IFR CURRENCY. ON MAR/SUN/00 I FILLED THE TANKS WITH 100LL IN HAYS, KS, AND FLEW BACK TO NESS CITY, KS. I THEN DEPARTED NESS CITY, VFR, ON MAR/SAT/00 WITH WHAT I CALCULATED TO BE AND VISUALLY INDICATED TO BE 28 GALLONS OF FUEL. I FLEW FOR 2.5 HRS BEFORE THE PLANE SPUTTERED AND DIED, SWITCHED TANKS, SPUTTERED AND DIED. I WAS USING FLT FOLLOWING FROM ZKC ON 134.9. I INFORMED THEM THAT I THOUGHT I WAS OUT OF FUEL AND WOULD BE LNDG PROBABLY ON THE HWY BELOW ME. I THEN MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH A NEARBY FBO TO CALL CTR AND INDICATE THAT I WAS ALL RIGHT. THE FAA CALLED AND WE DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT, DURING WHICH THEY ASKED ABOUT MY MEDICAL. I DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS 40 DAYS PAST. HOWEVER, I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET IT RENEWED TODAY, MAR/WED/00. THE FACT THAT MY MEDICAL WAS OVER WAS STRICTLY UNINTENTIONAL AND AN OVERSIGHT. MY OPINION IS THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE THE GAUGES READ INCORRECTLY WITH RESPECT TO THE AMOUNT OF FUEL INDICATED, AS WELL AS THE FUEL BURN IN THIS PARTICULAR ACFT IS MORE THAN 8 GPH DURING THE FLYING I WAS DOING. ADDITIONALLY, I DIDN'T VISUALLY CHK THE TANKS AFTER FILLING IN HAYS, KS. I AM GETTING A CALIBRATED MEASURE THAT I CAN VISUALLY ASSURE THE QUANTITY IN EACH TANK. THE PROB AROSE WHEN MY FUEL GAUGES SHOWED 1/4 TANK AND THE PLANE RAN OUT OF FUEL. I HAD ONLY OWNED THE AIRPLANE FOR 1 WK. THE FUEL GAUGES AND MY FUEL BURN CALCULATIONS WERE APPROX IN AGREEMENT. I DIDN'T VISUALLY VERIFY THE TANKS WERE FULL AFTER THE LINE BOY WAS FINISHED FILLING THEM. FROM NOW ON I WILL FIGURE AT LEAST 2 GPH MORE THAN THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS. I WAS FIGURING 8 GPH AND THE PLANE WAS BURNING CLOSER TO 10 GPH. I WILL PURCHASE A CALIBRATED MEASURING STICK.

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.