GA small aircraft forced off airport landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	92831
Time
Date	198808
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 3r7
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msy
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 1175 flight time type : 4
ASRS Report	92831
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Ferry flight of new experimental aircraft from de funiak springs, fl, to san antonio, tx. Seller did not inform buyer that fuel gauges indicated excessively high when really empty. Seller did not tell buyer that he had put a new climb propeller instead of past cruise propeller on aircraft. Aircraft burned at least 26 gals in 2 hours, 8 mins with a standard engine with 80 hours on new major on it. Took off on flight plan at XX08 central time. Cruised 2400 RPM at 6500' all the way to just south of lafayette, la, when it became obvious at 2 hours that my planned 2 hour, 54 min flight to galveston with a 1+ hour of fuel reserve was not going to work. Decided to divert to lake charles, la, and right tank went dry with just under 1/2 tank indicating and 1 hour flying time on that tank. Switched to left tank (1/4 fuel indicated) and asked for vectors to closest field. Received a 15 NM vector to jennings, la. Ran for 3 mins, then started to lose thrust again and started to set up a glide. Since the city was in between me and the airport I decided to land prior. I spotted an old ag strip by a farm, but couldn't be sure of the conditions, so I landed perpendicular to it on a dirt road. No injuries or damage at all. The farmer came and mowed the field and I received gas from the airport and flew out after filling out paperwork with the local authorities.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FORCED OFF ARPT LNDG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: FERRY FLT OF NEW EXPERIMENTAL ACFT FROM DE FUNIAK SPRINGS, FL, TO SAN ANTONIO, TX. SELLER DID NOT INFORM BUYER THAT FUEL GAUGES INDICATED EXCESSIVELY HIGH WHEN REALLY EMPTY. SELLER DID NOT TELL BUYER THAT HE HAD PUT A NEW CLB PROP INSTEAD OF PAST CRUISE PROP ON ACFT. ACFT BURNED AT LEAST 26 GALS IN 2 HOURS, 8 MINS WITH A STANDARD ENG WITH 80 HRS ON NEW MAJOR ON IT. TOOK OFF ON FLT PLAN AT XX08 CENTRAL TIME. CRUISED 2400 RPM AT 6500' ALL THE WAY TO JUST S OF LAFAYETTE, LA, WHEN IT BECAME OBVIOUS AT 2 HRS THAT MY PLANNED 2 HR, 54 MIN FLT TO GALVESTON WITH A 1+ HR OF FUEL RESERVE WAS NOT GOING TO WORK. DECIDED TO DIVERT TO LAKE CHARLES, LA, AND RIGHT TANK WENT DRY WITH JUST UNDER 1/2 TANK INDICATING AND 1 HR FLYING TIME ON THAT TANK. SWITCHED TO LEFT TANK (1/4 FUEL INDICATED) AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO CLOSEST FIELD. RECEIVED A 15 NM VECTOR TO JENNINGS, LA. RAN FOR 3 MINS, THEN STARTED TO LOSE THRUST AGAIN AND STARTED TO SET UP A GLIDE. SINCE THE CITY WAS IN BTWN ME AND THE ARPT I DECIDED TO LAND PRIOR. I SPOTTED AN OLD AG STRIP BY A FARM, BUT COULDN'T BE SURE OF THE CONDITIONS, SO I LANDED PERPENDICULAR TO IT ON A DIRT ROAD. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE AT ALL. THE FARMER CAME AND MOWED THE FIELD AND I RECEIVED GAS FROM THE ARPT AND FLEW OUT AFTER FILLING OUT PAPERWORK WITH THE LCL AUTHORITIES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.