Narrative:

I flew a C172 from bozeman, mt, to san carlos, ca. The third planned fuel stop was hth, nv. When I started fueling, the pump did not deliver any fuel at all. I measured the fuel remaining in the tanks manually with a dipstick made for C172's and got approximately 12 gallons remaining, resulting in approximately 1 hour 20 mins of total flight time. I decided to proceed on to the next airport that indicated having fuel which was in the area and in my general direction -- lee fining (O24). The WX conditions on departure were high scattered clouds at approximately 12000 ft. After flying for 40 mins, I arrived at ZZZ to be surprised by a low fog cloud layer that was covering the lake and airport. I immediately thought of my alternate I had in mind which was bryant (O57). It ws approximately 25 mi away. However, it was also next to a lake. Thus, I concluded if air temperature and water temperature are favorable to produce fog it would also be fogged in. In addition, the sun had set and it got to the point where it was almost impossible to see anything on the ground. I figured, if I fly to bryant and found out it was also fogged in, it would be an impossible feat to then land safely at a location other than an airport. In addition, now since it was night, the required fuel reserve for VFR flight had changed to 45 mins. I decided to make a precautionary landing on a 2 lane road, as long as I could still see it. No cars were present. The next car came after 35 mins. Has a 25 mi straight stretch at that location. At night you could see cars 5 mins before they arrived. I contacted 121.5 and told them I wanted police assistance, which arrived 50 mins later. A police report was written and we moved the aircraft safely, completely off the road.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG ON A DIRT ROAD NEAR ZZZ, DUE TO LOW FUEL.

Narrative: I FLEW A C172 FROM BOZEMAN, MT, TO SAN CARLOS, CA. THE THIRD PLANNED FUEL STOP WAS HTH, NV. WHEN I STARTED FUELING, THE PUMP DID NOT DELIVER ANY FUEL AT ALL. I MEASURED THE FUEL REMAINING IN THE TANKS MANUALLY WITH A DIPSTICK MADE FOR C172'S AND GOT APPROX 12 GALLONS REMAINING, RESULTING IN APPROX 1 HR 20 MINS OF TOTAL FLT TIME. I DECIDED TO PROCEED ON TO THE NEXT ARPT THAT INDICATED HAVING FUEL WHICH WAS IN THE AREA AND IN MY GENERAL DIRECTION -- LEE FINING (O24). THE WX CONDITIONS ON DEP WERE HIGH SCATTERED CLOUDS AT APPROX 12000 FT. AFTER FLYING FOR 40 MINS, I ARRIVED AT ZZZ TO BE SURPRISED BY A LOW FOG CLOUD LAYER THAT WAS COVERING THE LAKE AND ARPT. I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF MY ALTERNATE I HAD IN MIND WHICH WAS BRYANT (O57). IT WS APPROX 25 MI AWAY. HOWEVER, IT WAS ALSO NEXT TO A LAKE. THUS, I CONCLUDED IF AIR TEMP AND WATER TEMP ARE FAVORABLE TO PRODUCE FOG IT WOULD ALSO BE FOGGED IN. IN ADDITION, THE SUN HAD SET AND IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ANYTHING ON THE GND. I FIGURED, IF I FLY TO BRYANT AND FOUND OUT IT WAS ALSO FOGGED IN, IT WOULD BE AN IMPOSSIBLE FEAT TO THEN LAND SAFELY AT A LOCATION OTHER THAN AN ARPT. IN ADDITION, NOW SINCE IT WAS NIGHT, THE REQUIRED FUEL RESERVE FOR VFR FLT HAD CHANGED TO 45 MINS. I DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG ON A 2 LANE ROAD, AS LONG AS I COULD STILL SEE IT. NO CARS WERE PRESENT. THE NEXT CAR CAME AFTER 35 MINS. HAS A 25 MI STRAIGHT STRETCH AT THAT LOCATION. AT NIGHT YOU COULD SEE CARS 5 MINS BEFORE THEY ARRIVED. I CONTACTED 121.5 AND TOLD THEM I WANTED POLICE ASSISTANCE, WHICH ARRIVED 50 MINS LATER. A POLICE RPT WAS WRITTEN AND WE MOVED THE ACFT SAFELY, COMPLETELY OFF THE ROAD.

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.