Fuel exhaustion results in off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	100243
Time
Date	198812
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gxy
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 844
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 26 flight time total : 127 flight time type : 127
ASRS Report	100243
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

How problem arose. Not calculating enough fuel reserves for strong headwind conditions. Contributing factors. Excessive fuel consumption due to headwinds and possible improper carburetor idle adjustments. Discovered by low fuel gauge indications and engine out (failure). Corrective action. Refuel more frequently under strong headwind conditions. Consider flying with better than 1/2 full tanks. Do not rely on fuel gauge accuracy. Factors affecting human performance. Be aware of loss of judgement facility due to fatigue. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Aircraft was landed on a road near the airport. Patches of ice resulted in the left gear getting into skid and the wing striking a pole causing substantial damage to the wing spar. No injuries or other damage. Report was made to the FAA and they have scheduled an oral review of aircraft performance and navigation techniques. Aircraft is still awaiting repairs. Flight was returning after a cross country.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL EXHAUSTION RESULTS IN OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: HOW PROB AROSE. NOT CALCULATING ENOUGH FUEL RESERVES FOR STRONG HEADWIND CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION DUE TO HEADWINDS AND POSSIBLE IMPROPER CARB IDLE ADJUSTMENTS. DISCOVERED BY LOW FUEL GAUGE INDICATIONS AND ENG OUT (FAILURE). CORRECTIVE ACTION. REFUEL MORE FREQUENTLY UNDER STRONG HEADWIND CONDITIONS. CONSIDER FLYING WITH BETTER THAN 1/2 FULL TANKS. DO NOT RELY ON FUEL GAUGE ACCURACY. FACTORS AFFECTING HUMAN PERFORMANCE. BE AWARE OF LOSS OF JUDGEMENT FACILITY DUE TO FATIGUE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. ACFT WAS LANDED ON A ROAD NEAR THE ARPT. PATCHES OF ICE RESULTED IN THE L GEAR GETTING INTO SKID AND THE WING STRIKING A POLE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WING SPAR. NO INJURIES OR OTHER DAMAGE. RPT WAS MADE TO THE FAA AND THEY HAVE SCHEDULED AN ORAL REVIEW OF ACFT PERFORMANCE AND NAV TECHNIQUES. ACFT IS STILL AWAITING REPAIRS. FLT WAS RETURNING AFTER A XCOUNTRY.

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.