Fuel starvation. Forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	124553
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lan
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lan
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 2073 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	124553
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I have made a practice of taking 'time' off of the hobbs meter. Therefore, the 'time' between 2 points was my historic hobbs meter time. I then used this 'time' to estimate my future fuel burn. I did not realize how inaccurate the hobbs meter had become. The hobbs meter was reading low enough that by estimating fuel burn by its time, I ran out of fuel 5 min from the airport instead of having 30 min in reserve!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL STARVATION. FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: I HAVE MADE A PRACTICE OF TAKING 'TIME' OFF OF THE HOBBS METER. THEREFORE, THE 'TIME' BETWEEN 2 POINTS WAS MY HISTORIC HOBBS METER TIME. I THEN USED THIS 'TIME' TO ESTIMATE MY FUTURE FUEL BURN. I DID NOT REALIZE HOW INACCURATE THE HOBBS METER HAD BECOME. THE HOBBS METER WAS READING LOW ENOUGH THAT BY ESTIMATING FUEL BURN BY ITS TIME, I RAN OUT OF FUEL 5 MIN FROM THE ARPT INSTEAD OF HAVING 30 MIN IN RESERVE!

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.