C210 pilot makes an off airport landing on a road after the engine quit due to fuel starvation.

Attributes
ACN	539603
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : spi.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : spi.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	539603
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I helped push the airplane in the hangar after topping off the fuel tanks, we had a discussion about what time I would be leaving the next morning. The owner said that it was all topped off and ready to go and that he wouldn't need the airplane until mar/sat/02. On feb/sun/02 morning, my wife, son, and I departed T31 (mckinney, tx) on a flight to spi. Approximately 10-12 mi from the airport, we ran out of fuel after only 2 hours 45 mins of flying. The fuel gauges still indicated approximately 20 gallons of fuel. I landed without incident on a country road. When I called the owner he stated that he forgot to tell me that he had taken the airplane in the middle of the night to shv. In reflecting on what really caused the incident, I came up with my lack of preflting by actually climbing up and looking into the fuel tanks. I did do all other aspects of the preflight, but didn't check the top because I had just topped it off the evening before. I realize that I should have checked the fuel in the top of the tank, but also realize that it's never just one thing that causes an accident -- it's more like a chain of events. I certainly will never fly again without physically checking the fuel quantity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PLT MAKES AN OFF ARPT LNDG ON A ROAD AFTER THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: I HELPED PUSH THE AIRPLANE IN THE HANGAR AFTER TOPPING OFF THE FUEL TANKS, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT TIME I WOULD BE LEAVING THE NEXT MORNING. THE OWNER SAID THAT IT WAS ALL TOPPED OFF AND READY TO GO AND THAT HE WOULDN'T NEED THE AIRPLANE UNTIL MAR/SAT/02. ON FEB/SUN/02 MORNING, MY WIFE, SON, AND I DEPARTED T31 (MCKINNEY, TX) ON A FLT TO SPI. APPROX 10-12 MI FROM THE ARPT, WE RAN OUT OF FUEL AFTER ONLY 2 HRS 45 MINS OF FLYING. THE FUEL GAUGES STILL INDICATED APPROX 20 GALLONS OF FUEL. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT ON A COUNTRY ROAD. WHEN I CALLED THE OWNER HE STATED THAT HE FORGOT TO TELL ME THAT HE HAD TAKEN THE AIRPLANE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO SHV. IN REFLECTING ON WHAT REALLY CAUSED THE INCIDENT, I CAME UP WITH MY LACK OF PREFLTING BY ACTUALLY CLBING UP AND LOOKING INTO THE FUEL TANKS. I DID DO ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PREFLT, BUT DIDN'T CHK THE TOP BECAUSE I HAD JUST TOPPED IT OFF THE EVENING BEFORE. I REALIZE THAT I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE FUEL IN THE TOP OF THE TANK, BUT ALSO REALIZE THAT IT'S NEVER JUST ONE THING THAT CAUSES AN ACCIDENT -- IT'S MORE LIKE A CHAIN OF EVENTS. I CERTAINLY WILL NEVER FLY AGAIN WITHOUT PHYSICALLY CHKING THE FUEL QUANTITY.

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.