Narrative:

The flight was planned for 3.50 hours of flight time. The first leg was flown from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2 to pick up a single passenger. From ZZZ2 the flight continued to ZZZ3. The passenger was dropped off and the flight was continued as a return leg to ZZZ1. Aircraft was preflted by me; and found to have full fuel in the left wing tank and full fuel in the right wing tank. Inspection showed 48 gals useable fuel onboard at the start of the flight. Preflight planning estimated fuel use for the outbound leg would total 16.0 gals; and fuel use for the return leg would total 16.0 gals; with an estimated reserve remaining of 16 gals (approximately 1.50 hours of fuel in this aircraft). I removed the fuel caps from both tanks after landing and taxi at ZZZ2 and observed both tanks were nearly full. I took on my passenger and we flew to ZZZ3. I switched fuel tanks shortly after departure from ZZZ2 and flew for approximately 1 more hour on the second tank. I removed the fuel caps from both tanks after landing at ZZZ3 and observed the fuel level in both tanks was about equal; and appeared to be a small distance below the tabs (less than 17 gals usable in each tank). I departed ZZZ3 in VFR conditions; with ATC TA's. I switched fuel tanks approximately 1 hour into the flight. I noted a hesitation and drop in engine RPM. I immediately performed a check of engine controls and also changed fuel tanks. The engine began to perform normally almost immediately. I continued the flight but rather than continue on to ZZZ1 I requested a landing at ZZZ2 and stated to the controller I was low on fuel. I was vectored to the south and then vectored back toward ZZZ2 airport by the TRACON controller. As I continued overwater toward the field; the engine lost power. I performed an emergency check of all controls and switched fuel tanks (back to the tank that had previously been exhausted). I began a glide toward the land; and declared an emergency for fuel exhaustion to the controller that I was still assigned to. I requested vectors to ZZZ which I knew was in the vicinity; and which I believed I had in sight. The controller confirmed that the field was on my current heading. I was losing altitude and told the controller that it did not appear that I would be able to reach the field. The propeller was windmilling and eventually the engine restarted; and continued running; as I switched between tanks repeatedly. I was able to make a normal landing on the grass field at ZZZ and exited the runway as soon as my ground speed was reduced. I was able to taxi the aircraft to an open area clear of the taxiway and runway. I secured the aircraft; and used a cell phone to call the tower at ZZZ2 to advise them that I had landed safely and normally. Inspection revealed no useable fuel in either wing fuel tank. This was the first time I have flown this aircraft. I believe that the fuel burn rate for this aircraft is higher than I was advised.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PILOT EXPERIENCES FUEL EXHAUSTION DURING VECTORS FOR APPROACH AND MANAGES TO LAND SAFELY AT A SMALL AIRPORT SHORT OF DESTINATION.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS PLANNED FOR 3.50 HRS OF FLT TIME. THE FIRST LEG WAS FLOWN FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2 TO PICK UP A SINGLE PAX. FROM ZZZ2 THE FLT CONTINUED TO ZZZ3. THE PAX WAS DROPPED OFF AND THE FLT WAS CONTINUED AS A RETURN LEG TO ZZZ1. ACFT WAS PREFLTED BY ME; AND FOUND TO HAVE FULL FUEL IN THE L WING TANK AND FULL FUEL IN THE R WING TANK. INSPECTION SHOWED 48 GALS USEABLE FUEL ONBOARD AT THE START OF THE FLT. PREFLT PLANNING ESTIMATED FUEL USE FOR THE OUTBOUND LEG WOULD TOTAL 16.0 GALS; AND FUEL USE FOR THE RETURN LEG WOULD TOTAL 16.0 GALS; WITH AN ESTIMATED RESERVE REMAINING OF 16 GALS (APPROX 1.50 HRS OF FUEL IN THIS ACFT). I REMOVED THE FUEL CAPS FROM BOTH TANKS AFTER LNDG AND TAXI AT ZZZ2 AND OBSERVED BOTH TANKS WERE NEARLY FULL. I TOOK ON MY PAX AND WE FLEW TO ZZZ3. I SWITCHED FUEL TANKS SHORTLY AFTER DEP FROM ZZZ2 AND FLEW FOR APPROX 1 MORE HR ON THE SECOND TANK. I REMOVED THE FUEL CAPS FROM BOTH TANKS AFTER LNDG AT ZZZ3 AND OBSERVED THE FUEL LEVEL IN BOTH TANKS WAS ABOUT EQUAL; AND APPEARED TO BE A SMALL DISTANCE BELOW THE TABS (LESS THAN 17 GALS USABLE IN EACH TANK). I DEPARTED ZZZ3 IN VFR CONDITIONS; WITH ATC TA'S. I SWITCHED FUEL TANKS APPROX 1 HR INTO THE FLT. I NOTED A HESITATION AND DROP IN ENG RPM. I IMMEDIATELY PERFORMED A CHK OF ENG CTLS AND ALSO CHANGED FUEL TANKS. THE ENG BEGAN TO PERFORM NORMALLY ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. I CONTINUED THE FLT BUT RATHER THAN CONTINUE ON TO ZZZ1 I REQUESTED A LNDG AT ZZZ2 AND STATED TO THE CTLR I WAS LOW ON FUEL. I WAS VECTORED TO THE S AND THEN VECTORED BACK TOWARD ZZZ2 ARPT BY THE TRACON CTLR. AS I CONTINUED OVERWATER TOWARD THE FIELD; THE ENG LOST PWR. I PERFORMED AN EMER CHK OF ALL CTLS AND SWITCHED FUEL TANKS (BACK TO THE TANK THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN EXHAUSTED). I BEGAN A GLIDE TOWARD THE LAND; AND DECLARED AN EMER FOR FUEL EXHAUSTION TO THE CTLR THAT I WAS STILL ASSIGNED TO. I REQUESTED VECTORS TO ZZZ WHICH I KNEW WAS IN THE VICINITY; AND WHICH I BELIEVED I HAD IN SIGHT. THE CTLR CONFIRMED THAT THE FIELD WAS ON MY CURRENT HDG. I WAS LOSING ALT AND TOLD THE CTLR THAT IT DID NOT APPEAR THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO REACH THE FIELD. THE PROP WAS WINDMILLING AND EVENTUALLY THE ENG RESTARTED; AND CONTINUED RUNNING; AS I SWITCHED BTWN TANKS REPEATEDLY. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A NORMAL LNDG ON THE GRASS FIELD AT ZZZ AND EXITED THE RWY AS SOON AS MY GND SPD WAS REDUCED. I WAS ABLE TO TAXI THE ACFT TO AN OPEN AREA CLR OF THE TXWY AND RWY. I SECURED THE ACFT; AND USED A CELL PHONE TO CALL THE TWR AT ZZZ2 TO ADVISE THEM THAT I HAD LANDED SAFELY AND NORMALLY. INSPECTION REVEALED NO USEABLE FUEL IN EITHER WING FUEL TANK. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE FLOWN THIS ACFT. I BELIEVE THAT THE FUEL BURN RATE FOR THIS ACFT IS HIGHER THAN I WAS ADVISED.

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.