Narrative:

I departed vny for a planned VFR flight to half moon bay, ca. My ETA to half moon bay was D50 pm. I departed at A07 pm. I was in a hurry to reach half moon bay, so I consulted small aircraft performance charts to see if I could reach half moon bay west/O refueling. The charts indicated 4:36 endurance. After flying 3:41 en route, the aircraft ran out of gas, and I did an off-field landing. On the ground, I checked the fuel tanks to see if I had indeed run out of fuel. It was out of fuel. My fuel quantity gauges stopped at about 1/3-1/2 tanks, and never indicated lower. Because I was in a hurry to reach my destination, I believe it clouded my better judgement. I should have stopped along the route to refuel, just to be doubly safe. But I am also an ATP, and I have been flying a lot of more complex aircraft. I have discovered in most incidents that the performance charts are accurate to within 5-10 mins on the endurance, as well as fuel flow, TAS, etc. I expected this same accuracy from a 1967 small aircraft, and this proved to be a disappointing miscalculation. Perhaps performance charts should be made to reflect a typical high time aircraft instead of a factory new aircraft, which at one time probably did get the performance they listed for it. This might save a few accidents, instead of pilots relying on performance they cannot receive. It seems that the more sophisticated aircraft (light twins, etc) are far more accurate on their performance specifications. Also, properly functioning fuel quantity gauges should be a must, for any aircraft to pass required inspections.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA RUNS OUT OF FUEL AND MAKES OFF FIELD LNDG.

Narrative: I DEPARTED VNY FOR A PLANNED VFR FLT TO HALF MOON BAY, CA. MY ETA TO HALF MOON BAY WAS D50 PM. I DEPARTED AT A07 PM. I WAS IN A HURRY TO REACH HALF MOON BAY, SO I CONSULTED SMA PERFORMANCE CHARTS TO SEE IF I COULD REACH HALF MOON BAY W/O REFUELING. THE CHARTS INDICATED 4:36 ENDURANCE. AFTER FLYING 3:41 ENRTE, THE ACFT RAN OUT OF GAS, AND I DID AN OFF-FIELD LNDG. ON THE GND, I CHKED THE FUEL TANKS TO SEE IF I HAD INDEED RUN OUT OF FUEL. IT WAS OUT OF FUEL. MY FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES STOPPED AT ABOUT 1/3-1/2 TANKS, AND NEVER INDICATED LOWER. BECAUSE I WAS IN A HURRY TO REACH MY DEST, I BELIEVE IT CLOUDED MY BETTER JUDGEMENT. I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED ALONG THE RTE TO REFUEL, JUST TO BE DOUBLY SAFE. BUT I AM ALSO AN ATP, AND I HAVE BEEN FLYING A LOT OF MORE COMPLEX ACFT. I HAVE DISCOVERED IN MOST INCIDENTS THAT THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS ARE ACCURATE TO WITHIN 5-10 MINS ON THE ENDURANCE, AS WELL AS FUEL FLOW, TAS, ETC. I EXPECTED THIS SAME ACCURACY FROM A 1967 SMA, AND THIS PROVED TO BE A DISAPPOINTING MISCALCULATION. PERHAPS PERFORMANCE CHARTS SHOULD BE MADE TO REFLECT A TYPICAL HIGH TIME ACFT INSTEAD OF A FACTORY NEW ACFT, WHICH AT ONE TIME PROBABLY DID GET THE PERFORMANCE THEY LISTED FOR IT. THIS MIGHT SAVE A FEW ACCIDENTS, INSTEAD OF PLTS RELYING ON PERFORMANCE THEY CANNOT RECEIVE. IT SEEMS THAT THE MORE SOPHISTICATED ACFT (LIGHT TWINS, ETC) ARE FAR MORE ACCURATE ON THEIR PERFORMANCE SPECS. ALSO, PROPERLY FUNCTIONING FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES SHOULD BE A MUST, FOR ANY ACFT TO PASS REQUIRED INSPECTIONS.

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.