An small aircraft landed off airport due to fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	253547
Time
Date	199308
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vct
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 290 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	253547
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon my descent into victoria, I cancelled my IFR clearance in VFR conditions. Soon after, engine power was reduced to a low idle. I assumed this to be because of fuel exhaustion due to the fact that the gauges were low and that my preflight inspection did not include a visual check of the tanks. I notified my passenger of my intentions for an emergency landing and after surveying the terrain below, I chose not to declare an emergency. I safely conducted the landing onto a dirt road at a rancher's property and walked to find assistance. Later we returned with 10 gallons of 100LL fuel. After fueling, we turned the plane around and departed to victoria regional airport. My negligence to check the tanks in my preflight inspection was due in part by my passenger arriving during the inspection making me feel pressured for departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA LANDED OFF ARPT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: UPON MY DSCNT INTO VICTORIA, I CANCELLED MY IFR CLRNC IN VFR CONDITIONS. SOON AFTER, ENG PWR WAS REDUCED TO A LOW IDLE. I ASSUMED THIS TO BE BECAUSE OF FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE GAUGES WERE LOW AND THAT MY PREFLT INSPECTION DID NOT INCLUDE A VISUAL CHK OF THE TANKS. I NOTIFIED MY PAX OF MY INTENTIONS FOR AN EMER LNDG AND AFTER SURVEYING THE TERRAIN BELOW, I CHOSE NOT TO DECLARE AN EMER. I SAFELY CONDUCTED THE LNDG ONTO A DIRT ROAD AT A RANCHER'S PROPERTY AND WALKED TO FIND ASSISTANCE. LATER WE RETURNED WITH 10 GALLONS OF 100LL FUEL. AFTER FUELING, WE TURNED THE PLANE AROUND AND DEPARTED TO VICTORIA REGIONAL ARPT. MY NEGLIGENCE TO CHK THE TANKS IN MY PREFLT INSPECTION WAS DUE IN PART BY MY PAX ARRIVING DURING THE INSPECTION MAKING ME FEEL PRESSURED FOR DEP.

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.