Narrative:

Preflight planning: 36 gals usable fuel. Flight time about 3 hours; approximately 24 gals would be used. I confirmed my location with center -- just northeast of ZZZ. I checked fuel gauges (just below 1/4 on both tanks); oil pressure and temperature. I requested and was granted clearance from center for altitude change. I went full rich on the mixture and applied carburetor heat. I reduced to 2200 RPM and started descent at about 500 FPM. Approximately 2 mins into descent the engine stopped. I idented ZZZ as the closest and safest place to land in case I could not restart the engine; even though this was not the preferable place it seemed the safest place since I could not get a visual on ZZZ1 or a more appropriate place to land. I notified center about the stopped engine and requested special permission to land at ZZZ. Center contacted ZZZ and turned me over to the tower frequency. I exchanged information with ZZZ tower and obtained clearance to land. After consultation with the aircraft owner (who is also a mechanic with ia and a pilot); the cause of the engine problem seemed to be carburetor icing. I consulted with the owner/mechanic further on better procedures to avoid carburetor icing. Later it was determined that the problem was fuel exhaustion. After adding fuel to the aircraft I departed. I later consulted with the aircraft owner/mechanic and found out about 1 hour had been flown on the aircraft since it was last topped off. My preflight inspection did include a visual check of the fuel tanks -- they were about 1 1/2 inches from the top of the neck. This was a normal visual inspection for me to see; it was later explained to me that the aircraft I typically fly is usually topped off to this extent since it has long range fuel tanks and that the appropriate thing for me to see is fuel completely to the top of the neck. The aircraft owner/mechanic and I have discussed having me look at the fuel tanks next time the aircraft is topped off (to get a more accurate visual on how the fuel tanks should look when topped off) and making a fuel dipstick for this aircraft (for accurate measurement of fuel in tanks).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PILOT DEPARTS WITHOUT TOPPING OFF FUEL TANKS AND THE ENGINE QUITS AS DESCENT IS COMMENCED INTO DESTINATION. PILOT SUCCESSFULLY LANDS AT NEARBY AFB.

Narrative: PREFLT PLANNING: 36 GALS USABLE FUEL. FLT TIME ABOUT 3 HRS; APPROX 24 GALS WOULD BE USED. I CONFIRMED MY LOCATION WITH CTR -- JUST NE OF ZZZ. I CHKED FUEL GAUGES (JUST BELOW 1/4 ON BOTH TANKS); OIL PRESSURE AND TEMP. I REQUESTED AND WAS GRANTED CLRNC FROM CTR FOR ALT CHANGE. I WENT FULL RICH ON THE MIXTURE AND APPLIED CARB HEAT. I REDUCED TO 2200 RPM AND STARTED DSCNT AT ABOUT 500 FPM. APPROX 2 MINS INTO DSCNT THE ENG STOPPED. I IDENTED ZZZ AS THE CLOSEST AND SAFEST PLACE TO LAND IN CASE I COULD NOT RESTART THE ENG; EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS NOT THE PREFERABLE PLACE IT SEEMED THE SAFEST PLACE SINCE I COULD NOT GET A VISUAL ON ZZZ1 OR A MORE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO LAND. I NOTIFIED CTR ABOUT THE STOPPED ENG AND REQUESTED SPECIAL PERMISSION TO LAND AT ZZZ. CTR CONTACTED ZZZ AND TURNED ME OVER TO THE TWR FREQ. I EXCHANGED INFO WITH ZZZ TWR AND OBTAINED CLRNC TO LAND. AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE ACFT OWNER (WHO IS ALSO A MECH WITH IA AND A PLT); THE CAUSE OF THE ENG PROB SEEMED TO BE CARB ICING. I CONSULTED WITH THE OWNER/MECH FURTHER ON BETTER PROCS TO AVOID CARB ICING. LATER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PROB WAS FUEL EXHAUSTION. AFTER ADDING FUEL TO THE ACFT I DEPARTED. I LATER CONSULTED WITH THE ACFT OWNER/MECH AND FOUND OUT ABOUT 1 HR HAD BEEN FLOWN ON THE ACFT SINCE IT WAS LAST TOPPED OFF. MY PREFLT INSPECTION DID INCLUDE A VISUAL CHK OF THE FUEL TANKS -- THEY WERE ABOUT 1 1/2 INCHES FROM THE TOP OF THE NECK. THIS WAS A NORMAL VISUAL INSPECTION FOR ME TO SEE; IT WAS LATER EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE ACFT I TYPICALLY FLY IS USUALLY TOPPED OFF TO THIS EXTENT SINCE IT HAS LONG RANGE FUEL TANKS AND THAT THE APPROPRIATE THING FOR ME TO SEE IS FUEL COMPLETELY TO THE TOP OF THE NECK. THE ACFT OWNER/MECH AND I HAVE DISCUSSED HAVING ME LOOK AT THE FUEL TANKS NEXT TIME THE ACFT IS TOPPED OFF (TO GET A MORE ACCURATE VISUAL ON HOW THE FUEL TANKS SHOULD LOOK WHEN TOPPED OFF) AND MAKING A FUEL DIPSTICK FOR THIS ACFT (FOR ACCURATE MEASUREMENT OF FUEL IN TANKS).

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.