Narrative:

The problem originated as a result of my lack of thorough preflight planning. I was not aware of the accurate fuel consumption figure for the type aircraft I was flying, an small aircraft. I had left lynchburg, va the night before and landed in hamilton, ny. At the time of the engine loss due to the fuel being used up I was on my way back to lynchburg. The aircraft had long range tanks (50 gals usable fuel). I was figuring that the aircraft burned 6 gph. I had left lynchburg with full tanks and on the way back (in binghamton, ny) I had put 18 gals of fuel in the tanks. Consequently, I thought that I had enough fuel to make it to lynchburg and still have the 45 mins reserve. I noticed that the fuel gauges were low but I mistakenly considered runway calculations to be more accurate than the fuel gauge indicators. The engine lost power at 6500' MSL. I was flying over mountains which were approximately 4000' MSL. Immediately upon loss of the engine I headed to my right toward a valley. I went through the checklist for engine failure. I considered calling dulles approach or contacting the emergency frequency, but decided against it because I just wanted to concentrate on landing safely. I looked for a field in which to land, but the area was well populated and I couldn't decide on a field. There was a road on which I could have landed, but I was hoping to avoid that. I looked at my sectional for an airport and saw that there was one nearby. I continued to glide, still not having chosen a place to land. At about 5000' MSL I spotted lva. I made a normal descent and landed. There was no other air traffic at the airport meanwhile. This situation was caused by my failure to find out the fuel consumption rate of the aircraft and can easily be corrected by doing a more careful and thorough preflight in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FORCED LNDG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: THE PROB ORIGINATED AS A RESULT OF MY LACK OF THOROUGH PREFLT PLANNING. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURE FOR THE TYPE ACFT I WAS FLYING, AN SMA. I HAD LEFT LYNCHBURG, VA THE NIGHT BEFORE AND LANDED IN HAMILTON, NY. AT THE TIME OF THE ENG LOSS DUE TO THE FUEL BEING USED UP I WAS ON MY WAY BACK TO LYNCHBURG. THE ACFT HAD LONG RANGE TANKS (50 GALS USABLE FUEL). I WAS FIGURING THAT THE ACFT BURNED 6 GPH. I HAD LEFT LYNCHBURG WITH FULL TANKS AND ON THE WAY BACK (IN BINGHAMTON, NY) I HAD PUT 18 GALS OF FUEL IN THE TANKS. CONSEQUENTLY, I THOUGHT THAT I HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO MAKE IT TO LYNCHBURG AND STILL HAVE THE 45 MINS RESERVE. I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES WERE LOW BUT I MISTAKENLY CONSIDERED RWY CALCULATIONS TO BE MORE ACCURATE THAN THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATORS. THE ENG LOST PWR AT 6500' MSL. I WAS FLYING OVER MOUNTAINS WHICH WERE APPROX 4000' MSL. IMMEDIATELY UPON LOSS OF THE ENG I HEADED TO MY RIGHT TOWARD A VALLEY. I WENT THROUGH THE CHKLIST FOR ENG FAILURE. I CONSIDERED CALLING DULLES APCH OR CONTACTING THE EMER FREQ, BUT DECIDED AGAINST IT BECAUSE I JUST WANTED TO CONCENTRATE ON LNDG SAFELY. I LOOKED FOR A FIELD IN WHICH TO LAND, BUT THE AREA WAS WELL POPULATED AND I COULDN'T DECIDE ON A FIELD. THERE WAS A ROAD ON WHICH I COULD HAVE LANDED, BUT I WAS HOPING TO AVOID THAT. I LOOKED AT MY SECTIONAL FOR AN ARPT AND SAW THAT THERE WAS ONE NEARBY. I CONTINUED TO GLIDE, STILL NOT HAVING CHOSEN A PLACE TO LAND. AT ABOUT 5000' MSL I SPOTTED LVA. I MADE A NORMAL DSNT AND LANDED. THERE WAS NO OTHER AIR TFC AT THE ARPT MEANWHILE. THIS SITUATION WAS CAUSED BY MY FAILURE TO FIND OUT THE FUEL CONSUMPTION RATE OF THE ACFT AND CAN EASILY BE CORRECTED BY DOING A MORE CAREFUL AND THOROUGH PREFLT IN THE FUTURE.

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.