Small aircraft has forced landing account fuel starvation.

Attributes
ACN	124794
Time
Date	198910
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cht
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 780 msl bound upper : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cht
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 69 flight time total : 1610 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	124794
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I ran out of gas in a rented small aircraft 5 mi short of my destination on a flight from 92C near green bay, wi, to chillicothe, mo. There are several factors causing the incident: poor pilot judgement (preflight and in-flight); FBO claimed aircraft only burned 12 gph (actually 14 gph)--didn't consult power setting table; fuel tanks not filled absolutely to top (55 gals usable only when topped); pressure to get there on time amplified by--a) 15 mins late departure, B) very strong headwinds, C) fuel stop would make arrival later yet; preoccupied at time of WX briefing with IFR conditions and didn't give enough weight to strong winds; printed out a flight plan from a personal computer 9 hours before departure using correct ETD and correct 14 gph figures with results of 3 hours, 6 mins and 40 gals fuel (overconfident of accuracy); I didn't think such a fast aircraft would be so drastically affected by headwinds; headwinds were strongest of entire flight on last leg, bringing 140 KTS TAS down to 80 KTS gndspd; made same trip in similar small aircraft 4 weeks earlier and only burned 30 gals (false mindset thinking); fuel gauges not accurate; and didn't get last minute FSS update before flight. To prevent a recurrence in the future, I will carefully calculate the fuel endurance of the aircraft and absolutely stick to the rule of stopping for gas if I wouldn't have 45 mins fuel remaining at my destination or alternate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS FORCED LNDG ACCOUNT FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: I RAN OUT OF GAS IN A RENTED SMA 5 MI SHORT OF MY DEST ON A FLT FROM 92C NEAR GREEN BAY, WI, TO CHILLICOTHE, MO. THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS CAUSING THE INCIDENT: POOR PLT JUDGEMENT (PREFLT AND INFLT); FBO CLAIMED ACFT ONLY BURNED 12 GPH (ACTUALLY 14 GPH)--DIDN'T CONSULT PWR SETTING TABLE; FUEL TANKS NOT FILLED ABSOLUTELY TO TOP (55 GALS USABLE ONLY WHEN TOPPED); PRESSURE TO GET THERE ON TIME AMPLIFIED BY--A) 15 MINS LATE DEP, B) VERY STRONG HEADWINDS, C) FUEL STOP WOULD MAKE ARR LATER YET; PREOCCUPIED AT TIME OF WX BRIEFING WITH IFR CONDITIONS AND DIDN'T GIVE ENOUGH WT TO STRONG WINDS; PRINTED OUT A FLT PLAN FROM A PERSONAL COMPUTER 9 HRS BEFORE DEP USING CORRECT ETD AND CORRECT 14 GPH FIGURES WITH RESULTS OF 3 HRS, 6 MINS AND 40 GALS FUEL (OVERCONFIDENT OF ACCURACY); I DIDN'T THINK SUCH A FAST ACFT WOULD BE SO DRASTICALLY AFFECTED BY HEADWINDS; HEADWINDS WERE STRONGEST OF ENTIRE FLT ON LAST LEG, BRINGING 140 KTS TAS DOWN TO 80 KTS GNDSPD; MADE SAME TRIP IN SIMILAR SMA 4 WKS EARLIER AND ONLY BURNED 30 GALS (FALSE MINDSET THINKING); FUEL GAUGES NOT ACCURATE; AND DIDN'T GET LAST MINUTE FSS UPDATE BEFORE FLT. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE IN THE FUTURE, I WILL CAREFULLY CALCULATE THE FUEL ENDURANCE OF THE ACFT AND ABSOLUTELY STICK TO THE RULE OF STOPPING FOR GAS IF I WOULDN'T HAVE 45 MINS FUEL REMAINING AT MY DEST OR ALTERNATE.

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.