Narrative:

The flight was planned to be a 400 NM flight in IFR/VFR conditions from bna to ZZZ. Preflight planning included items from the poh, as well as standard WX briefing. Using a calculated GS of 105 KTS, I estimated my time en route to be 3.8 hours. The flight was filed as IFR, but required no alternate as ZZZ was forecast to be VFR. Using a value of 10 gph fuel burn, and with full tanks (48 gals), I planned on the aircraft being able to fly for 4.8 hours. I had a requirement of 4.55 hours, so this flight was also within the planned capabilities of the aircraft. Tanks were filled by the FBO (fuel receipt showing 42 gals) and visually inspected by the pilot (me). I set the clock/timer during taxi. I was cognizant of the need to be conservative with fuel and, again, chose a 70% cruise setting at 2500 RPM and leaned at 8000 ft to achieve an egt of 1280-1300 degrees. During the flight, I monitored the GPS, reported GS to confirm that winds were not stronger than forecast. I observed GS of between 100 and 108 KTS during the entire flight (except the climb to 8000 ft). I utilized the GPS advisory messages to switch fuel tanks en route. Immediately prior to the incident, I was descending to 4000 ft and then cancelled IFR after visually recognizing the airport environment. Shortly thereafter, the engine began to falter and the gauge showed low fuel. I then engaged the fuel pump and attempted a restart without success. I then switched tanks and attempted a restart with success and continued on the approach. At 2800 ft, the engine began to falter and I noted the other gauge also showed empty. Several things occurred in the next few seconds. I noted that the time on the clock/timer indicated 3 hours 45 mins (duration of flight). I noted that there was likely insufficient altitude to glide to the runway. I declared a mayday on 122.8 and 122.5 advising I was experiencing power failure and that I was 3.5 mi east of ZZZ airport and would be making an off-field landing. I turned off the radio, so I would not be distracted. I began a gentle left bank and searched for a suitable landing location. I set for best glide at 70 KTS and began an approach, adding flaps as necessary. I awakened the children who were sleeping, and secured them tightly. I completed the landing, shut off master, and exited with passenger. I called 911 from a cell phone to advise local auths that an off-field landing had occurred and that there were no injuries. The tanks were inspected on the ground, and were found to be dry. The question looms, why did the aircraft burn 12.8 gph instead of its nominal value of 8-10 gph? This is being reviewed. Items observed and hopefully learned from the incident. Always be prepared for the possibility of an emergency landing. Aircraft performance data may not be as depicted by the poh. Monitor the actual data and use those values for flight planning instead of 'arbitrary' published values. Monitor fuel gauges en route, despite their notorious inaccuracy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28-180 PLT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION 3 PT 5 NM SHORT OF ZZZ, WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS PLANNED TO BE A 400 NM FLT IN IFR/VFR CONDITIONS FROM BNA TO ZZZ. PREFLT PLANNING INCLUDED ITEMS FROM THE POH, AS WELL AS STANDARD WX BRIEFING. USING A CALCULATED GS OF 105 KTS, I ESTIMATED MY TIME ENRTE TO BE 3.8 HRS. THE FLT WAS FILED AS IFR, BUT REQUIRED NO ALTERNATE AS ZZZ WAS FORECAST TO BE VFR. USING A VALUE OF 10 GPH FUEL BURN, AND WITH FULL TANKS (48 GALS), I PLANNED ON THE ACFT BEING ABLE TO FLY FOR 4.8 HRS. I HAD A REQUIREMENT OF 4.55 HRS, SO THIS FLT WAS ALSO WITHIN THE PLANNED CAPABILITIES OF THE ACFT. TANKS WERE FILLED BY THE FBO (FUEL RECEIPT SHOWING 42 GALS) AND VISUALLY INSPECTED BY THE PLT (ME). I SET THE CLOCK/TIMER DURING TAXI. I WAS COGNIZANT OF THE NEED TO BE CONSERVATIVE WITH FUEL AND, AGAIN, CHOSE A 70% CRUISE SETTING AT 2500 RPM AND LEANED AT 8000 FT TO ACHIEVE AN EGT OF 1280-1300 DEGS. DURING THE FLT, I MONITORED THE GPS, RPTED GS TO CONFIRM THAT WINDS WERE NOT STRONGER THAN FORECAST. I OBSERVED GS OF BTWN 100 AND 108 KTS DURING THE ENTIRE FLT (EXCEPT THE CLB TO 8000 FT). I UTILIZED THE GPS ADVISORY MESSAGES TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS ENRTE. IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, I WAS DSNDING TO 4000 FT AND THEN CANCELLED IFR AFTER VISUALLY RECOGNIZING THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG BEGAN TO FALTER AND THE GAUGE SHOWED LOW FUEL. I THEN ENGAGED THE FUEL PUMP AND ATTEMPTED A RESTART WITHOUT SUCCESS. I THEN SWITCHED TANKS AND ATTEMPTED A RESTART WITH SUCCESS AND CONTINUED ON THE APCH. AT 2800 FT, THE ENG BEGAN TO FALTER AND I NOTED THE OTHER GAUGE ALSO SHOWED EMPTY. SEVERAL THINGS OCCURRED IN THE NEXT FEW SECONDS. I NOTED THAT THE TIME ON THE CLOCK/TIMER INDICATED 3 HRS 45 MINS (DURATION OF FLT). I NOTED THAT THERE WAS LIKELY INSUFFICIENT ALT TO GLIDE TO THE RWY. I DECLARED A MAYDAY ON 122.8 AND 122.5 ADVISING I WAS EXPERIENCING PWR FAILURE AND THAT I WAS 3.5 MI E OF ZZZ ARPT AND WOULD BE MAKING AN OFF-FIELD LNDG. I TURNED OFF THE RADIO, SO I WOULD NOT BE DISTRACTED. I BEGAN A GENTLE L BANK AND SEARCHED FOR A SUITABLE LNDG LOCATION. I SET FOR BEST GLIDE AT 70 KTS AND BEGAN AN APCH, ADDING FLAPS AS NECESSARY. I AWAKENED THE CHILDREN WHO WERE SLEEPING, AND SECURED THEM TIGHTLY. I COMPLETED THE LNDG, SHUT OFF MASTER, AND EXITED WITH PAX. I CALLED 911 FROM A CELL PHONE TO ADVISE LCL AUTHS THAT AN OFF-FIELD LNDG HAD OCCURRED AND THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE TANKS WERE INSPECTED ON THE GND, AND WERE FOUND TO BE DRY. THE QUESTION LOOMS, WHY DID THE ACFT BURN 12.8 GPH INSTEAD OF ITS NOMINAL VALUE OF 8-10 GPH? THIS IS BEING REVIEWED. ITEMS OBSERVED AND HOPEFULLY LEARNED FROM THE INCIDENT. ALWAYS BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF AN EMER LNDG. ACFT PERFORMANCE DATA MAY NOT BE AS DEPICTED BY THE POH. MONITOR THE ACTUAL DATA AND USE THOSE VALUES FOR FLT PLANNING INSTEAD OF 'ARBITRARY' PUBLISHED VALUES. MONITOR FUEL GAUGES ENRTE, DESPITE THEIR NOTORIOUS INACCURACY.

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.