Narrative:

I had to deliver an small aircraft. Due to a late start out of alo I cruised at 70% power cos for a refueling stop. I calculated fuel burn vs ground speed while en route and determined I could fly approximately 4+20 (including climb) with a 30 min reserve for a distance of 715+ NM. A check with WX showed no significant change in the winds at my cruising altitude of 16500'. I departed crq for 710 NM away, cruising at 65%. En route times were checking out, fuel consumption registered 90 pph. A final calculation over 29 palms showed no reason to doubt the successful outcome of the flight onto crq. 50 NM northeast of crq I ran into reduced visibility, had trouble obtaining VFR flight following, and was unfamiliar with the area--so I slowed considerably during the descent phase. Upon arriving in the traffic pattern I was third in line to land on runway 24, so I circled around for a left downwind. Turning base to final the engine quit. I activated the boost pump and rocked the wings to try to restart it. The plane regained power for a moment, then stopped again. There was a highway off the approach end of runway 24 with light traffic, so I made a forced landing. Total flight time was 4+40. There was no injuries and the aircraft sustained minor damage where the right strobe light struck the left rear corner of a van traveling in the same direction. In retrospect, if I had checked fuel consumption on the ground at cos I would have found actual consumption to be much greater than indicated. Being in a hurry, I made another mistake by not actually checking fuel status visually so the fuel might not have been filled to maximum capacity.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ON FRY FLT FUEL EXHAUSTION OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: I HAD TO DELIVER AN SMA. DUE TO A LATE START OUT OF ALO I CRUISED AT 70% PWR COS FOR A REFUELING STOP. I CALCULATED FUEL BURN VS GND SPD WHILE ENRTE AND DETERMINED I COULD FLY APPROX 4+20 (INCLUDING CLB) WITH A 30 MIN RESERVE FOR A DISTANCE OF 715+ NM. A CHK WITH WX SHOWED NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE WINDS AT MY CRUISING ALT OF 16500'. I DEPARTED CRQ FOR 710 NM AWAY, CRUISING AT 65%. ENRTE TIMES WERE CHKING OUT, FUEL CONSUMPTION REGISTERED 90 PPH. A FINAL CALCULATION OVER 29 PALMS SHOWED NO REASON TO DOUBT THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF THE FLT ONTO CRQ. 50 NM NE OF CRQ I RAN INTO REDUCED VISIBILITY, HAD TROUBLE OBTAINING VFR FLT FOLLOWING, AND WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA--SO I SLOWED CONSIDERABLY DURING THE DSCNT PHASE. UPON ARRIVING IN THE TFC PATTERN I WAS THIRD IN LINE TO LAND ON RWY 24, SO I CIRCLED AROUND FOR A LEFT DOWNWIND. TURNING BASE TO FINAL THE ENG QUIT. I ACTIVATED THE BOOST PUMP AND ROCKED THE WINGS TO TRY TO RESTART IT. THE PLANE REGAINED PWR FOR A MOMENT, THEN STOPPED AGAIN. THERE WAS A HWY OFF THE APCH END OF RWY 24 WITH LIGHT TFC, SO I MADE A FORCED LNDG. TOTAL FLT TIME WAS 4+40. THERE WAS NO INJURIES AND THE ACFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE WHERE THE RIGHT STROBE LIGHT STRUCK THE LEFT REAR CORNER OF A VAN TRAVELING IN THE SAME DIRECTION. IN RETROSPECT, IF I HAD CHKED FUEL CONSUMPTION ON THE GND AT COS I WOULD HAVE FOUND ACTUAL CONSUMPTION TO BE MUCH GREATER THAN INDICATED. BEING IN A HURRY, I MADE ANOTHER MISTAKE BY NOT ACTUALLY CHKING FUEL STATUS VISUALLY SO THE FUEL MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN FILLED TO MAX CAPACITY.

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.