Narrative:

On oct/xa/00 I was planning to fly at XB30 in a C152. When the instructor and student returned from their lesson in the C152 at XA50 I asked the line crew, to fuel up the C152. He said he would after he did something with another plane. I did my preflight which included turning on the master and checking the fuel gauge. The gauges showed full. I visually checked the wings for fuel. They appeared to be approximately 1 inch down. After completing my preflight, I taxied out at about XB55. I flew to new haven and picked up a friend. We then flew to chester, landed and took off, then landed at groton. We taxied towards the fuel pumps. I thought I might get fuel, but there was a C310 there and it would have taken too much time. I again visually checked the tanks. They looked a little lower but I figured I'd only flown for approximately 1 hour 50 mins and I had been fueled in danbury. I thought I had 4 hours and I would return to new haven to drop off my friend and get fuel there before returning to danbury. After taking off from groton, I climbed out to 2400 ft and was going to fly directly to new haven along the coast. After crossing the connecticut river, the engine sputtered. I pulled on carburetor heat and full throttle. The engine seemed to run smooth. I turned to chester at that time. I also started looking for a safe place if I needed one. The engine sputtered again, I did a magneto check. I radioed chester and told them I was experiencing engine trouble and was coming in. The engine then stopped altogether. I set up for my best rate of glide. I had been looking all the time for a safe place to land. I tried to start the engine again. I didn't see anything but the 3 lane road. The cars were separated. I aligned up a safe distance behind a car in the middle lane and touched down safely. I rolled off as far as I could to the right. There wasn't any damage done to any people or vehicles. I believe there was a breakdown in co between myself and the line crew. This is the first time I've been aware of a plane not being fueled. I should have verified that in fact I had been fueled. I presumed I had 4 hours of flight time. I now own a dipstick.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 PLT RAN OUT OF GAS AND MADE A FORCED LNDG ON A ROAD NEAR 3B9.

Narrative: ON OCT/XA/00 I WAS PLANNING TO FLY AT XB30 IN A C152. WHEN THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT RETURNED FROM THEIR LESSON IN THE C152 AT XA50 I ASKED THE LINE CREW, TO FUEL UP THE C152. HE SAID HE WOULD AFTER HE DID SOMETHING WITH ANOTHER PLANE. I DID MY PREFLT WHICH INCLUDED TURNING ON THE MASTER AND CHKING THE FUEL GAUGE. THE GAUGES SHOWED FULL. I VISUALLY CHKED THE WINGS FOR FUEL. THEY APPEARED TO BE APPROX 1 INCH DOWN. AFTER COMPLETING MY PREFLT, I TAXIED OUT AT ABOUT XB55. I FLEW TO NEW HAVEN AND PICKED UP A FRIEND. WE THEN FLEW TO CHESTER, LANDED AND TOOK OFF, THEN LANDED AT GROTON. WE TAXIED TOWARDS THE FUEL PUMPS. I THOUGHT I MIGHT GET FUEL, BUT THERE WAS A C310 THERE AND IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN TOO MUCH TIME. I AGAIN VISUALLY CHKED THE TANKS. THEY LOOKED A LITTLE LOWER BUT I FIGURED I'D ONLY FLOWN FOR APPROX 1 HR 50 MINS AND I HAD BEEN FUELED IN DANBURY. I THOUGHT I HAD 4 HRS AND I WOULD RETURN TO NEW HAVEN TO DROP OFF MY FRIEND AND GET FUEL THERE BEFORE RETURNING TO DANBURY. AFTER TAKING OFF FROM GROTON, I CLBED OUT TO 2400 FT AND WAS GOING TO FLY DIRECTLY TO NEW HAVEN ALONG THE COAST. AFTER XING THE CONNECTICUT RIVER, THE ENG SPUTTERED. I PULLED ON CARB HEAT AND FULL THROTTLE. THE ENG SEEMED TO RUN SMOOTH. I TURNED TO CHESTER AT THAT TIME. I ALSO STARTED LOOKING FOR A SAFE PLACE IF I NEEDED ONE. THE ENG SPUTTERED AGAIN, I DID A MAGNETO CHK. I RADIOED CHESTER AND TOLD THEM I WAS EXPERIENCING ENG TROUBLE AND WAS COMING IN. THE ENG THEN STOPPED ALTOGETHER. I SET UP FOR MY BEST RATE OF GLIDE. I HAD BEEN LOOKING ALL THE TIME FOR A SAFE PLACE TO LAND. I TRIED TO START THE ENG AGAIN. I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING BUT THE 3 LANE ROAD. THE CARS WERE SEPARATED. I ALIGNED UP A SAFE DISTANCE BEHIND A CAR IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND TOUCHED DOWN SAFELY. I ROLLED OFF AS FAR AS I COULD TO THE R. THERE WASN'T ANY DAMAGE DONE TO ANY PEOPLE OR VEHICLES. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN CO BTWN MYSELF AND THE LINE CREW. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN AWARE OF A PLANE NOT BEING FUELED. I SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED THAT IN FACT I HAD BEEN FUELED. I PRESUMED I HAD 4 HRS OF FLT TIME. I NOW OWN A DIPSTICK.

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.