Pilot of small aircraft had forced landing off airport when engine quit because of fuel starvation 7...

Attributes
ACN	189871
Time
Date	199109
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lit
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lit
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	189871
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed addison, tx, en route to mt comfort airport in little rock, ar, and 1 in cope gerardeau, mo. My calculations told me that I could make little rock with 45 mins of fuel to spare, which is within VFR fuel requirements. My flight was going as scheduled and crossing all of my chkpoints on time. After calling little rock approach I started a descent into adams field. Approximately 7 mi from the runway, the engine coughed and quit. Quickly looking over the engine gauges, I noticed I was out of fuel. I set the plane for best glide towards an open field, and told approach I was going down. After safely landing the plane without damage or injury to myself or passenger, I checked the tanks. They were empty! With some help of a gentleman, I put fuel in the plane, preflight inspected it, and took off. I told approach we were ok as soon as I could. Later it was determined that the carburetor was set wrong, causing an excessive fuel burn. I believe the situation could have been prevented with better maintenance on the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA HAD FORCED LNDG OFF ARPT WHEN ENG QUIT BECAUSE OF FUEL STARVATION 7 MI SHORT OF DEST ARPT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED ADDISON, TX, ENRTE TO MT COMFORT ARPT IN LITTLE ROCK, AR, AND 1 IN COPE GERARDEAU, MO. MY CALCULATIONS TOLD ME THAT I COULD MAKE LITTLE ROCK WITH 45 MINS OF FUEL TO SPARE, WHICH IS WITHIN VFR FUEL REQUIREMENTS. MY FLT WAS GOING AS SCHEDULED AND XING ALL OF MY CHKPOINTS ON TIME. AFTER CALLING LITTLE ROCK APCH I STARTED A DSCNT INTO ADAMS FIELD. APPROX 7 MI FROM THE RWY, THE ENG COUGHED AND QUIT. QUICKLY LOOKING OVER THE ENG GAUGES, I NOTICED I WAS OUT OF FUEL. I SET THE PLANE FOR BEST GLIDE TOWARDS AN OPEN FIELD, AND TOLD APCH I WAS GOING DOWN. AFTER SAFELY LNDG THE PLANE WITHOUT DAMAGE OR INJURY TO MYSELF OR PAX, I CHKED THE TANKS. THEY WERE EMPTY! WITH SOME HELP OF A GENTLEMAN, I PUT FUEL IN THE PLANE, PREFLT INSPECTED IT, AND TOOK OFF. I TOLD APCH WE WERE OK AS SOON AS I COULD. LATER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CARBURETOR WAS SET WRONG, CAUSING AN EXCESSIVE FUEL BURN. I BELIEVE THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH BETTER MAINT ON THE ACFT.

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 had forced landing off airport when engine quit because of fuel starvation 7 mi short of destination airport.