Narrative:

On oct/sat/06 I preflted the aircraft in the normal manner I was instructed in. My findings were that the aircraft was in operable condition with no major problems logged on the squawk sheet and that there was 28 gals of fuel on board; 15 gals left tank; 13 gals right tank; with a quick calculation I estimated a flight period of approximately 3+ hours. The events of the day are as follows. After the preflight and a normal run up of the aircraft I departed ZZZ and remained in the pattern and performed a full stop landing. At this time I parked the aircraft and waited for members of my family to arrive and at approximately XA30 am my passenger arrived. At this time I boarded 3 passenger all under the age of 10 and all under 80 pounds. At this time I departed ZZZ and flew out over the area to show the passenger their home and school; a distance of approximately +/-10 mi; and then returned to land at ZZZ. At this time I then took on a new set of passenger; 1 adult and 2 children. I then departed ZZZ once again and flew the same approximately flight path and I returned to ZZZ and landed. Once again I took on another set of passenger; again 1 adult and 2 children. I then flew them on the approximately same flight path and returned to ZZZ and parked the aircraft. After a short period on the ground approximately 20-25 mins I then departed ZZZ solo and flew to another airport and performed a full stop landing and then departed to another airport performed a full stop landing and returned to ZZZ1 at which time I parked the aircraft on the ramp in front of the restaurant and went inside and had lunch. Approximately time on the ground 50-55 mins. Before departure from ZZZ1 I contacted my wife via phone to see if she would want to fly and see the start of the leaves changing and she informed me that she was en route to her daughter's home. I then suggested that I would land at ZZZ2 and that she could join me if she wanted to. I then departed ZZZ1 solo and then flew to ZZZ2 and came to a full stop landing and taxied over to the ramp near the restaurant. I was then met by my wife and son-in-law. At this time it was just my son-in-law and I that decided to go flying. After a 20-25 min stay on the ground; we then departed and flew direct to ZZZ4 and performed a full stop landing. Our intention was to stop at the restaurant and then take on fuel. At this time there was a lot of activity on the ground and in the air so I decided to fly to ZZZ3. At this time I checked the fuel gauges and the readings were 1/4 on the left tank and under 1/4 on the right tank; and the tank selector was set on both; and at this time I felt that I had enough fuel for the flight to ZZZ3. I did not do a full calculation of time that I had flown at this point but I felt that I was within limits and that I could arrive in a safe manner at ZZZ3 or I would have never departed ZZZ4. While en route to ZZZ3; I announced that I was approximately 10 mi south of the airport and landing at ZZZ3. At approximately 6 mi south of the airport I began to experience engine failure. At this time I had the airport in full sight but knew that I could not land at the airport. At this time I announced my approximately position and that I was preparing to make an emergency landing approximately 6-7 mi south of ZZZ3. At this time I was contacted by a club member who was in the area flying. I informed him that I had an engine failure and that I was preparing for an emergency landing. He informed me to use all emergency procedures. At this point in time I told him that I would do what was necessary and that I would be leaving the radio to fly the airplane and that I would contact them when I was on the ground. Prior to this point I had already established a point to try and safely land the airplane. It was a farm field located on top of a mountain ridge and I also informed my passenger of my intentions and asked that he remain calm and just prior to touchdown that he open the door. As PIC I used all resources to land the plane safely in the field. The landing was successful and without incident; no bodily injury; no aircraft damage; no property damage. Upon landing I contacted mr Y and all other pilots in the area to inform them that all were safe. Upon exiting the aircraft I was greeted by the property owners and guests. One of the guests was an off duty police officer. The property owner is mr X. All parties on the ground were glad that all on board were safe. Once on the ground; I then examined the aircraft and found that all appeared to be fine. I also stuck the tanks and found that the right tank was empty and that the left tank had only a trace of fuel remaining. I was informed that the property owner would transport myself to the ZZZ5 airport to purchase fuel. I then contacted a club member via phone to inform him of what was about to take place. I was transported along with my passenger to the airport to purchase fuel. Once fuel was purchased I informed passenger to remain at the airport and hopefully I would return for him since I did not want to remove the aircraft from a grass field with extra weight and possibly bodily injury. Upon returning to the aircraft I fueled the aircraft with 16 gals of fuel. Once fuel was placed in the aircraft the airplane was started without any problem. I then shut the aircraft down and gave the aircraft a complete preflight. Once this was completed I contacted mr Y via phone to discuss my intentions. His reply was to use a short field takeoff procedure and wait until they were airborne in the approximately area so that they could observe the takeoff. While waiting for him to arrive in the area I prepared for my takeoff; my first thought was to use the long driveway but decided not to since there was a barn in the area; and that if I was not airborne by the end of the driveway I would not be able to stop in time. My second option was to use the field which I landed in. At this point I taxied up and down the field to get a feel for the area; upon doing so I informed him of my intentions. After a longer than normal run up I contacted mr Y and informed him that I was prepared to depart. With that done; I used 10 degrees of flaps; full power and used the short field takeoff procedure. Takeoff was without incident and flight was normal. At this point I returned to ZZZ3 and landed the plane safely. I then took on fuel in the amount of 27.80 gals. With this being completed and with the arrival of the club member we had a brief conversation of the incident and that he examined the aircraft and logbook. At this point I once again took with one passenger and we returned to ZZZ1 airport where I left off passenger. I then returned to home field ZZZ and parked the plane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT GIVING RIDES LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND EXHAUSTED HIS FUEL. HE DECLARED AN EMER AND SAFELY LANDED IN FIELD.

Narrative: ON OCT/SAT/06 I PREFLTED THE ACFT IN THE NORMAL MANNER I WAS INSTRUCTED IN. MY FINDINGS WERE THAT THE ACFT WAS IN OPERABLE CONDITION WITH NO MAJOR PROBS LOGGED ON THE SQUAWK SHEET AND THAT THERE WAS 28 GALS OF FUEL ON BOARD; 15 GALS L TANK; 13 GALS R TANK; WITH A QUICK CALCULATION I ESTIMATED A FLT PERIOD OF APPROX 3+ HRS. THE EVENTS OF THE DAY ARE AS FOLLOWS. AFTER THE PREFLT AND A NORMAL RUN UP OF THE ACFT I DEPARTED ZZZ AND REMAINED IN THE PATTERN AND PERFORMED A FULL STOP LNDG. AT THIS TIME I PARKED THE ACFT AND WAITED FOR MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY TO ARRIVE AND AT APPROX XA30 AM MY PAX ARRIVED. AT THIS TIME I BOARDED 3 PAX ALL UNDER THE AGE OF 10 AND ALL UNDER 80 LBS. AT THIS TIME I DEPARTED ZZZ AND FLEW OUT OVER THE AREA TO SHOW THE PAX THEIR HOME AND SCHOOL; A DISTANCE OF APPROX +/-10 MI; AND THEN RETURNED TO LAND AT ZZZ. AT THIS TIME I THEN TOOK ON A NEW SET OF PAX; 1 ADULT AND 2 CHILDREN. I THEN DEPARTED ZZZ ONCE AGAIN AND FLEW THE SAME APPROX FLT PATH AND I RETURNED TO ZZZ AND LANDED. ONCE AGAIN I TOOK ON ANOTHER SET OF PAX; AGAIN 1 ADULT AND 2 CHILDREN. I THEN FLEW THEM ON THE APPROX SAME FLT PATH AND RETURNED TO ZZZ AND PARKED THE ACFT. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD ON THE GND APPROX 20-25 MINS I THEN DEPARTED ZZZ SOLO AND FLEW TO ANOTHER ARPT AND PERFORMED A FULL STOP LNDG AND THEN DEPARTED TO ANOTHER ARPT PERFORMED A FULL STOP LNDG AND RETURNED TO ZZZ1 AT WHICH TIME I PARKED THE ACFT ON THE RAMP IN FRONT OF THE RESTAURANT AND WENT INSIDE AND HAD LUNCH. APPROX TIME ON THE GND 50-55 MINS. BEFORE DEP FROM ZZZ1 I CONTACTED MY WIFE VIA PHONE TO SEE IF SHE WOULD WANT TO FLY AND SEE THE START OF THE LEAVES CHANGING AND SHE INFORMED ME THAT SHE WAS ENRTE TO HER DAUGHTER'S HOME. I THEN SUGGESTED THAT I WOULD LAND AT ZZZ2 AND THAT SHE COULD JOIN ME IF SHE WANTED TO. I THEN DEPARTED ZZZ1 SOLO AND THEN FLEW TO ZZZ2 AND CAME TO A FULL STOP LNDG AND TAXIED OVER TO THE RAMP NEAR THE RESTAURANT. I WAS THEN MET BY MY WIFE AND SON-IN-LAW. AT THIS TIME IT WAS JUST MY SON-IN-LAW AND I THAT DECIDED TO GO FLYING. AFTER A 20-25 MIN STAY ON THE GND; WE THEN DEPARTED AND FLEW DIRECT TO ZZZ4 AND PERFORMED A FULL STOP LNDG. OUR INTENTION WAS TO STOP AT THE RESTAURANT AND THEN TAKE ON FUEL. AT THIS TIME THERE WAS A LOT OF ACTIVITY ON THE GND AND IN THE AIR SO I DECIDED TO FLY TO ZZZ3. AT THIS TIME I CHKED THE FUEL GAUGES AND THE READINGS WERE 1/4 ON THE L TANK AND UNDER 1/4 ON THE R TANK; AND THE TANK SELECTOR WAS SET ON BOTH; AND AT THIS TIME I FELT THAT I HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE FLT TO ZZZ3. I DID NOT DO A FULL CALCULATION OF TIME THAT I HAD FLOWN AT THIS POINT BUT I FELT THAT I WAS WITHIN LIMITS AND THAT I COULD ARRIVE IN A SAFE MANNER AT ZZZ3 OR I WOULD HAVE NEVER DEPARTED ZZZ4. WHILE ENRTE TO ZZZ3; I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS APPROX 10 MI S OF THE ARPT AND LNDG AT ZZZ3. AT APPROX 6 MI S OF THE ARPT I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE ENG FAILURE. AT THIS TIME I HAD THE ARPT IN FULL SIGHT BUT KNEW THAT I COULD NOT LAND AT THE ARPT. AT THIS TIME I ANNOUNCED MY APPROX POS AND THAT I WAS PREPARING TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG APPROX 6-7 MI S OF ZZZ3. AT THIS TIME I WAS CONTACTED BY A CLUB MEMBER WHO WAS IN THE AREA FLYING. I INFORMED HIM THAT I HAD AN ENG FAILURE AND THAT I WAS PREPARING FOR AN EMER LNDG. HE INFORMED ME TO USE ALL EMER PROCS. AT THIS POINT IN TIME I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD DO WHAT WAS NECESSARY AND THAT I WOULD BE LEAVING THE RADIO TO FLY THE AIRPLANE AND THAT I WOULD CONTACT THEM WHEN I WAS ON THE GND. PRIOR TO THIS POINT I HAD ALREADY ESTABLISHED A POINT TO TRY AND SAFELY LAND THE AIRPLANE. IT WAS A FARM FIELD LOCATED ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN RIDGE AND I ALSO INFORMED MY PAX OF MY INTENTIONS AND ASKED THAT HE REMAIN CALM AND JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN THAT HE OPEN THE DOOR. AS PIC I USED ALL RESOURCES TO LAND THE PLANE SAFELY IN THE FIELD. THE LNDG WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WITHOUT INCIDENT; NO BODILY INJURY; NO ACFT DAMAGE; NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. UPON LNDG I CONTACTED MR Y AND ALL OTHER PLTS IN THE AREA TO INFORM THEM THAT ALL WERE SAFE. UPON EXITING THE ACFT I WAS GREETED BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND GUESTS. ONE OF THE GUESTS WAS AN OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICER. THE PROPERTY OWNER IS MR X. ALL PARTIES ON THE GND WERE GLAD THAT ALL ON BOARD WERE SAFE. ONCE ON THE GND; I THEN EXAMINED THE ACFT AND FOUND THAT ALL APPEARED TO BE FINE. I ALSO STUCK THE TANKS AND FOUND THAT THE R TANK WAS EMPTY AND THAT THE L TANK HAD ONLY A TRACE OF FUEL REMAINING. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD TRANSPORT MYSELF TO THE ZZZ5 ARPT TO PURCHASE FUEL. I THEN CONTACTED A CLUB MEMBER VIA PHONE TO INFORM HIM OF WHAT WAS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE. I WAS TRANSPORTED ALONG WITH MY PAX TO THE ARPT TO PURCHASE FUEL. ONCE FUEL WAS PURCHASED I INFORMED PAX TO REMAIN AT THE ARPT AND HOPEFULLY I WOULD RETURN FOR HIM SINCE I DID NOT WANT TO REMOVE THE ACFT FROM A GRASS FIELD WITH EXTRA WT AND POSSIBLY BODILY INJURY. UPON RETURNING TO THE ACFT I FUELED THE ACFT WITH 16 GALS OF FUEL. ONCE FUEL WAS PLACED IN THE ACFT THE AIRPLANE WAS STARTED WITHOUT ANY PROB. I THEN SHUT THE ACFT DOWN AND GAVE THE ACFT A COMPLETE PREFLT. ONCE THIS WAS COMPLETED I CONTACTED MR Y VIA PHONE TO DISCUSS MY INTENTIONS. HIS REPLY WAS TO USE A SHORT FIELD TKOF PROC AND WAIT UNTIL THEY WERE AIRBORNE IN THE APPROX AREA SO THAT THEY COULD OBSERVE THE TKOF. WHILE WAITING FOR HIM TO ARRIVE IN THE AREA I PREPARED FOR MY TKOF; MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO USE THE LONG DRIVEWAY BUT DECIDED NOT TO SINCE THERE WAS A BARN IN THE AREA; AND THAT IF I WAS NOT AIRBORNE BY THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP IN TIME. MY SECOND OPTION WAS TO USE THE FIELD WHICH I LANDED IN. AT THIS POINT I TAXIED UP AND DOWN THE FIELD TO GET A FEEL FOR THE AREA; UPON DOING SO I INFORMED HIM OF MY INTENTIONS. AFTER A LONGER THAN NORMAL RUN UP I CONTACTED MR Y AND INFORMED HIM THAT I WAS PREPARED TO DEPART. WITH THAT DONE; I USED 10 DEGS OF FLAPS; FULL PWR AND USED THE SHORT FIELD TKOF PROC. TKOF WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT AND FLT WAS NORMAL. AT THIS POINT I RETURNED TO ZZZ3 AND LANDED THE PLANE SAFELY. I THEN TOOK ON FUEL IN THE AMOUNT OF 27.80 GALS. WITH THIS BEING COMPLETED AND WITH THE ARR OF THE CLUB MEMBER WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION OF THE INCIDENT AND THAT HE EXAMINED THE ACFT AND LOGBOOK. AT THIS POINT I ONCE AGAIN TOOK WITH ONE PAX AND WE RETURNED TO ZZZ1 ARPT WHERE I LEFT OFF PAX. I THEN RETURNED TO HOME FIELD ZZZ AND PARKED THE PLANE.

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.