Narrative:

Planned VFR flight to ZZZ. Obtained WX forecast and winds aloft from WX network. Based on extrapolated winds forecast for 7500 ft, flight plan called for total flight time of 4 hours and 10 mins. Based on pilot operating handbook, fuel consumption at that altitude at 2500 RPM would be 4.6 gal/hour with a total fuel of 4.9 hours. Taking in consideration of takeoff and climb fuel burn, total estimated fuel on board was 4.7 hours. Performed normal preflight inspection of aircraft without any abnormalities noted. En route, ground speed was slightly less than computed using forecast winds. During straight-in approach to runway 14 at ZZZ, engine began to sputter and shortly quit. This was approximately 4.3 hours into flight. I immediately located suitable field for landing and announced to tower my intentions. During pitch up attitude, engine began to run, but since I had ensured landing at field, I decided to make precautionary landing rather than attempt to make runway. Uneventful engine out landing performed. ZZZ tower contacted via cell phone to announce that I was safe and aircraft was not damaged. 4 gals of fuel was added and during preflight inspection, left fuel tank sump drain noted to be leaking. After several attempts to get drain to seal, fuel drip was ceased. Aircraft was flown to ZZZ and refueled. Upon returning to final destination and home airport, fuel tank sump drains removed and cleaned by aircraft mechanic. New o-rings installed. I have had problems with fuel drain sump valves in the past and have paid close attention to ensure that they were sealed prior to takeoff, which I'm sure I did on this date. I believe that a more aggressive approach to repairing/replacing them to eliminate possible failure would have prevented incident. In addition, I believe that a more conservative personal minimum fuel reserve requirement for such a long flight rather than the 30 mins required by regulation would have prevented this incident as well.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C150 PLT RAN OUT OF GAS 4 MI SHORT OF HIS DEST ARPT AND MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: PLANNED VFR FLT TO ZZZ. OBTAINED WX FORECAST AND WINDS ALOFT FROM WX NETWORK. BASED ON EXTRAPOLATED WINDS FORECAST FOR 7500 FT, FLT PLAN CALLED FOR TOTAL FLT TIME OF 4 HRS AND 10 MINS. BASED ON PLT OPERATING HANDBOOK, FUEL CONSUMPTION AT THAT ALT AT 2500 RPM WOULD BE 4.6 GAL/HR WITH A TOTAL FUEL OF 4.9 HRS. TAKING IN CONSIDERATION OF TKOF AND CLB FUEL BURN, TOTAL ESTIMATED FUEL ON BOARD WAS 4.7 HRS. PERFORMED NORMAL PREFLT INSPECTION OF ACFT WITHOUT ANY ABNORMALITIES NOTED. ENRTE, GND SPD WAS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN COMPUTED USING FORECAST WINDS. DURING STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO RWY 14 AT ZZZ, ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND SHORTLY QUIT. THIS WAS APPROX 4.3 HRS INTO FLT. I IMMEDIATELY LOCATED SUITABLE FIELD FOR LNDG AND ANNOUNCED TO TWR MY INTENTIONS. DURING PITCH UP ATTITUDE, ENG BEGAN TO RUN, BUT SINCE I HAD ENSURED LNDG AT FIELD, I DECIDED TO MAKE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG RATHER THAN ATTEMPT TO MAKE RWY. UNEVENTFUL ENG OUT LNDG PERFORMED. ZZZ TWR CONTACTED VIA CELL PHONE TO ANNOUNCE THAT I WAS SAFE AND ACFT WAS NOT DAMAGED. 4 GALS OF FUEL WAS ADDED AND DURING PREFLT INSPECTION, L FUEL TANK SUMP DRAIN NOTED TO BE LEAKING. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET DRAIN TO SEAL, FUEL DRIP WAS CEASED. ACFT WAS FLOWN TO ZZZ AND REFUELED. UPON RETURNING TO FINAL DEST AND HOME ARPT, FUEL TANK SUMP DRAINS REMOVED AND CLEANED BY ACFT MECH. NEW O-RINGS INSTALLED. I HAVE HAD PROBS WITH FUEL DRAIN SUMP VALVES IN THE PAST AND HAVE PAID CLOSE ATTN TO ENSURE THAT THEY WERE SEALED PRIOR TO TKOF, WHICH I'M SURE I DID ON THIS DATE. I BELIEVE THAT A MORE AGGRESSIVE APCH TO REPAIRING/REPLACING THEM TO ELIMINATE POSSIBLE FAILURE WOULD HAVE PREVENTED INCIDENT. IN ADDITION, I BELIEVE THAT A MORE CONSERVATIVE PERSONAL MINIMUM FUEL RESERVE REQUIREMENT FOR SUCH A LONG FLT RATHER THAN THE 30 MINS REQUIRED BY REG WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT AS WELL.

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.