Narrative:

I checked fuel in the luscombe this afternoon and it read 7 gallons. The aircraft appeared to be normal after the rest of the preflight. There were more than 3 quarts of oil. Assuming that I would have more than enough fuel to fly for 1 hour and still meet daytime reserve; I took off on the first intro flight. I flew to valmier lake and back (2150 RPM's) at 2100 ft and made 1 normal landing. That was .6 maximum. I took off on the second intro flight to the lake and back at 2150 RPM and 2100 ft. About the time we were abeam the ultralight field; the engine quite suddenly started to shut down. At first I thought my leg had brushed the fuel selector so I checked that as I took the flight controls. I immediately pitched for 72 and cycled the magnetos; pulled out the carburetor heat. I made sure that the primer was locked in; checked oil temperature and pressure; and started thinking about a field or a road to land on. In the span of less than 15 seconds after the engine quit; I did all the emergency procedures and realized that sullivan field was about 3 mi to the right. We were at just about 2000 ft when I started my turn towards the west (into the wind). I was beginning to question if I would make the field because of the headwind and spinning drag disc. I made sure to pitch for 72 and I start to pump the throttle add fuel to spin the engine that would hopefully offset the drag. It worked for about 15-20 seconds. I touched down normally at sullivan field a little high and a little fast with a slight crosswind. As I rolled to a stop; the propeller stopped windmilling.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF LUSCOMBE 8A DEPARTS ON SHORT ROUNDTRIP WITH APPROX 7 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. ON RETURN LEG AN EMER ENG OUT LNDG WAS MADE FOLLOWING ENG FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: I CHKED FUEL IN THE LUSCOMBE THIS AFTERNOON AND IT READ 7 GALLONS. THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE NORMAL AFTER THE REST OF THE PREFLT. THERE WERE MORE THAN 3 QUARTS OF OIL. ASSUMING THAT I WOULD HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH FUEL TO FLY FOR 1 HR AND STILL MEET DAYTIME RESERVE; I TOOK OFF ON THE FIRST INTRO FLT. I FLEW TO VALMIER LAKE AND BACK (2150 RPM'S) AT 2100 FT AND MADE 1 NORMAL LNDG. THAT WAS .6 MAX. I TOOK OFF ON THE SECOND INTRO FLT TO THE LAKE AND BACK AT 2150 RPM AND 2100 FT. ABOUT THE TIME WE WERE ABEAM THE ULTRALIGHT FIELD; THE ENG QUITE SUDDENLY STARTED TO SHUT DOWN. AT FIRST I THOUGHT MY LEG HAD BRUSHED THE FUEL SELECTOR SO I CHKED THAT AS I TOOK THE FLT CTLS. I IMMEDIATELY PITCHED FOR 72 AND CYCLED THE MAGNETOS; PULLED OUT THE CARB HEAT. I MADE SURE THAT THE PRIMER WAS LOCKED IN; CHKED OIL TEMP AND PRESSURE; AND STARTED THINKING ABOUT A FIELD OR A ROAD TO LAND ON. IN THE SPAN OF LESS THAN 15 SECONDS AFTER THE ENG QUIT; I DID ALL THE EMER PROCS AND REALIZED THAT SULLIVAN FIELD WAS ABOUT 3 MI TO THE R. WE WERE AT JUST ABOUT 2000 FT WHEN I STARTED MY TURN TOWARDS THE W (INTO THE WIND). I WAS BEGINNING TO QUESTION IF I WOULD MAKE THE FIELD BECAUSE OF THE HEADWIND AND SPINNING DRAG DISC. I MADE SURE TO PITCH FOR 72 AND I START TO PUMP THE THROTTLE ADD FUEL TO SPIN THE ENG THAT WOULD HOPEFULLY OFFSET THE DRAG. IT WORKED FOR ABOUT 15-20 SECONDS. I TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY AT SULLIVAN FIELD A LITTLE HIGH AND A LITTLE FAST WITH A SLIGHT XWIND. AS I ROLLED TO A STOP; THE PROP STOPPED WINDMILLING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.