Narrative:

A cloud layer formed below me that was scattered at 1000 ft. I was flying vors to verify my position as well as using pilotage and dead reckoning. Upon reaching ZZZ airspace I could not reach ZZZ approach. I was transmitting and not receiving. Not wanting to fly into class C airspace, I turned north until I was north of the airspace then turned east until I intercepted the ZZZ 020 degree radial and flew it in descending to 2000 ft (roughly). I picked up some rain and had a tough time making the airport. The ZZZ VOR had flipped and it was obvious I had missed the airport. I turned around and flew north. I experienced some engine roughness. I knew I was low on gas and wasn't sure about making the runway. I circled an empty field and then my engine began sputtering. It was apparent it wasn't going any further. I turned into the wind and landed in a corn field with the rows as close to the road as I thought was safe. It was a nice landing in a very muddy field. There was no apparent damage to the aircraft. The police and fire crews showed up very shortly. Ultimately, I feel the problem arose from a number of contributing factors. First of all, there were storms that were slower moving than I had planned and the WX made it more difficult to navigation. I also encountered intermittent rain along the route which had caused me to use a lot of carburetor heat and run the engine mixture richer than I first had planned. Both of these factors caused me to burn more fuel than anticipated, and I flew a longer route than expected. I also knew I was low on gas and let it fall too far below before considering myself in an emergency state. Also the gas tanks indicated about 1/8 - 1/4 tank in each. I depended on them entirely too much. I was hoping to be back home that night and it rushed my decision to leave.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C150 PLT MAKES AN OFF FIELD LNDG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: A CLOUD LAYER FORMED BELOW ME THAT WAS SCATTERED AT 1000 FT. I WAS FLYING VORS TO VERIFY MY POS AS WELL AS USING PILOTAGE AND DEAD RECKONING. UPON REACHING ZZZ AIRSPACE I COULD NOT REACH ZZZ APCH. I WAS XMITTING AND NOT RECEIVING. NOT WANTING TO FLY INTO CLASS C AIRSPACE, I TURNED N UNTIL I WAS N OF THE AIRSPACE THEN TURNED E UNTIL I INTERCEPTED THE ZZZ 020 DEG RADIAL AND FLEW IT IN DSNDING TO 2000 FT (ROUGHLY). I PICKED UP SOME RAIN AND HAD A TOUGH TIME MAKING THE ARPT. THE ZZZ VOR HAD FLIPPED AND IT WAS OBVIOUS I HAD MISSED THE ARPT. I TURNED AROUND AND FLEW N. I EXPERIENCED SOME ENG ROUGHNESS. I KNEW I WAS LOW ON GAS AND WASN'T SURE ABOUT MAKING THE RWY. I CIRCLED AN EMPTY FIELD AND THEN MY ENG BEGAN SPUTTERING. IT WAS APPARENT IT WASN'T GOING ANY FURTHER. I TURNED INTO THE WIND AND LANDED IN A CORN FIELD WITH THE ROWS AS CLOSE TO THE ROAD AS I THOUGHT WAS SAFE. IT WAS A NICE LNDG IN A VERY MUDDY FIELD. THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE POLICE AND FIRE CREWS SHOWED UP VERY SHORTLY. ULTIMATELY, I FEEL THE PROB AROSE FROM A NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. FIRST OF ALL, THERE WERE STORMS THAT WERE SLOWER MOVING THAN I HAD PLANNED AND THE WX MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO NAV. I ALSO ENCOUNTERED INTERMITTENT RAIN ALONG THE RTE WHICH HAD CAUSED ME TO USE A LOT OF CARB HEAT AND RUN THE ENG MIXTURE RICHER THAN I FIRST HAD PLANNED. BOTH OF THESE FACTORS CAUSED ME TO BURN MORE FUEL THAN ANTICIPATED, AND I FLEW A LONGER RTE THAN EXPECTED. I ALSO KNEW I WAS LOW ON GAS AND LET IT FALL TOO FAR BELOW BEFORE CONSIDERING MYSELF IN AN EMER STATE. ALSO THE GAS TANKS INDICATED ABOUT 1/8 - 1/4 TANK IN EACH. I DEPENDED ON THEM ENTIRELY TOO MUCH. I WAS HOPING TO BE BACK HOME THAT NIGHT AND IT RUSHED MY DECISION TO LEAVE.

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.