Narrative:

While descending to land at chanute, ks, engine failed at approximately 6000' MSL after descending from 7500'. Approach to gravel farm road was initiated. Carburetor heat was applied (warm summer day with high humidity) after engine failed. Engine restarted at approximately 3000' but landing was continued on road. At this time, I guessed that carburetor ice on low fuel were the cause, so I purchased approximately 6 gals of fuel from a local farmer (aircraft has automatic gas stc). Flight time at engine failure was 4:40 at 7.5 gph for total consumption of 35 gals. Tank capacity is 42 gals, 39.5 usable. Sheriff came by and blocked road so safe takeoff was possible and continued to chanute field. Added 29 gals of fuel at chanute. Upon arrival in northern mi, and discussing situation with a and east mechanic it was determined that the fuel venting system was plugged. Then fuel cap was opened. Loud air hissing sound was heard. The aircraft had not been flown for 8 to 10 weeks recently and the air vent inlet was plugged. I cleaned it out but was unaware that it was a fuel vent. I thought that it was a static vent and because the altimeter. Airspeed and vertical speed worked okay and thought it was okay. Vapor lock and carburetor ice are possible but unlikely. Most likely cause was fuel venting system plugged and aggravated by exceptionally low fuel state, low nose attitude on descent and low fuel state is also possible. None of the above explanations let the PIC off the hook for allowing the fuel state to get so low. This had been duly noted by the PIC 'me'.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMERGENCY OFF ARPT LNDG WHEN ENGINE ON SMA FAILS AND RESTARTS AFTER CARB HEAT APPLIED.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING TO LAND AT CHANUTE, KS, ENG FAILED AT APPROX 6000' MSL AFTER DSNDING FROM 7500'. APCH TO GRAVEL FARM ROAD WAS INITIATED. CARB HEAT WAS APPLIED (WARM SUMMER DAY WITH HIGH HUMIDITY) AFTER ENG FAILED. ENG RESTARTED AT APPROX 3000' BUT LNDG WAS CONTINUED ON ROAD. AT THIS TIME, I GUESSED THAT CARB ICE ON LOW FUEL WERE THE CAUSE, SO I PURCHASED APPROX 6 GALS OF FUEL FROM A LCL FARMER (ACFT HAS AUTO GAS STC). FLT TIME AT ENG FAILURE WAS 4:40 AT 7.5 GPH FOR TOTAL CONSUMPTION OF 35 GALS. TANK CAPACITY IS 42 GALS, 39.5 USABLE. SHERIFF CAME BY AND BLOCKED ROAD SO SAFE TKOF WAS POSSIBLE AND CONTINUED TO CHANUTE FIELD. ADDED 29 GALS OF FUEL AT CHANUTE. UPON ARR IN NORTHERN MI, AND DISCUSSING SITUATION WITH A AND E MECH IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL VENTING SYS WAS PLUGGED. THEN FUEL CAP WAS OPENED. LOUD AIR HISSING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE ACFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR 8 TO 10 WKS RECENTLY AND THE AIR VENT INLET WAS PLUGGED. I CLEANED IT OUT BUT WAS UNAWARE THAT IT WAS A FUEL VENT. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A STATIC VENT AND BECAUSE THE ALTIMETER. AIRSPD AND VERT SPD WORKED OKAY AND THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY. VAPOR LOCK AND CARB ICE ARE POSSIBLE BUT UNLIKELY. MOST LIKELY CAUSE WAS FUEL VENTING SYS PLUGGED AND AGGRAVATED BY EXCEPTIONALLY LOW FUEL STATE, LOW NOSE ATTITUDE ON DSNT AND LOW FUEL STATE IS ALSO POSSIBLE. NONE OF THE ABOVE EXPLANATIONS LET THE PIC OFF THE HOOK FOR ALLOWING THE FUEL STATE TO GET SO LOW. THIS HAD BEEN DULY NOTED BY THE PIC 'ME'.

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.