Aircraft runs low on fuel and makes unscheduled landing with only 3 to 4 gallons remaining.

Attributes
ACN	132829
Time
Date	199001
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cae
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 3000 agl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cae tracon : atl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 910
ASRS Report	132829
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight from west palm beach airport to winston-salem, nc. Strong headwinds at 500-9000'. Because of weight, I could not load full 90 gal and misjudged both amount of fuel in tanks and also fuel required. When I realized I was low, I decided to land at columbia international, sc. On approach I ran out in 1 tank and switched to the other and landed with 3-4 gal left. No emergency was declared. Approach controller expedited approach. Landed and taxied to FBO. As much as I know about headwinds and flying by hours, I still used poor judgement and let myself get too short on fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT RUNS LOW ON FUEL AND MAKES UNSCHEDULED LNDG WITH ONLY 3 TO 4 GALLONS REMAINING.

Narrative: FLT FROM WEST PALM BEACH ARPT TO WINSTON-SALEM, NC. STRONG HEADWINDS AT 500-9000'. BECAUSE OF WEIGHT, I COULD NOT LOAD FULL 90 GAL AND MISJUDGED BOTH AMOUNT OF FUEL IN TANKS AND ALSO FUEL REQUIRED. WHEN I REALIZED I WAS LOW, I DECIDED TO LAND AT COLUMBIA INTL, SC. ON APCH I RAN OUT IN 1 TANK AND SWITCHED TO THE OTHER AND LANDED WITH 3-4 GAL LEFT. NO EMER WAS DECLARED. APCH CTLR EXPEDITED APCH. LANDED AND TAXIED TO FBO. AS MUCH AS I KNOW ABOUT HEADWINDS AND FLYING BY HOURS, I STILL USED POOR JUDGEMENT AND LET MYSELF GET TOO SHORT ON FUEL.

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