Pilot of small aircraft plans a trip for 1.2 hours fuel remaining at destination but experiences fue...

Attributes
ACN	150138
Time
Date	199007
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sgf
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	150138
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Planned a four leg flight that should require 3.7 hours flight time. Upon attempting the last landing, the engine quit due to apparent fuel starvation. I was able to make a successful dead stick landing on a highway one mi short of the runway. There was no damage to the plane and none to the passengers. During the planning phase of the flight, I went to the performance charts in the aircraft manual and determined I should have 4.9 hours of fuel at 75 percent power. Since most of the flight time was a 65 percent, theoretically, I should have had plenty of fuel for the trip, however, the plane used more then that because of 4.1 hours I experienced engine shutdown. As a military aviator, I have always put a lot of faith in performance charts however I am now having doubts about them. I have now put a limit of 3.5 hours on any flts in this type aircraft to insure an adequate reserve.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA PLANS A TRIP FOR 1.2 HRS FUEL REMAINING AT DESTINATION BUT EXPERIENCES FUEL EXHAUSTION DURING APCH TO DESTINATION AND MAKES FORCED LNDG ON HIGHWAY.

Narrative: PLANNED A FOUR LEG FLT THAT SHOULD REQUIRE 3.7 HRS FLT TIME. UPON ATTEMPTING THE LAST LNDG, THE ENG QUIT DUE TO APPARENT FUEL STARVATION. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A SUCCESSFUL DEAD STICK LNDG ON A HIGHWAY ONE MI SHORT OF THE RWY. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE PLANE AND NONE TO THE PAXS. DURING THE PLANNING PHASE OF THE FLT, I WENT TO THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS IN THE ACFT MANUAL AND DETERMINED I SHOULD HAVE 4.9 HRS OF FUEL AT 75 PERCENT PWR. SINCE MOST OF THE FLT TIME WAS A 65 PERCENT, THEORETICALLY, I SHOULD HAVE HAD PLENTY OF FUEL FOR THE TRIP, HOWEVER, THE PLANE USED MORE THEN THAT BECAUSE OF 4.1 HRS I EXPERIENCED ENG SHUTDOWN. AS A MIL AVIATOR, I HAVE ALWAYS PUT A LOT OF FAITH IN PERFORMANCE CHARTS HOWEVER I AM NOW HAVING DOUBTS ABOUT THEM. I HAVE NOW PUT A LIMIT OF 3.5 HRS ON ANY FLTS IN THIS TYPE ACFT TO INSURE AN ADEQUATE RESERVE.

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.

Pilot of small aircraft plans a trip for 1.2 hours fuel remaining at destination but experiences fuel exhaustion during approach to destination and makes forced landing on highway.