Small aircraft runs out of fuel and makes emergency landing on a highway at night.

Attributes
ACN	257223
Time
Date	199311
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 4r2
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise 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 : 108 flight time total : 1537 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	257223
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

With an estimated 1 1/2 hours fuel still on board, I put another 1 hour fuel on board for reserve at ballinger, tx. I estimated the flight from ballinger to lakeway, tx, would take approximately 1 hour 15 mins, and departed ballinger at about XA15 pm. Over brady and llano, tx, I could see that an apparent headwind had slowed my ground speed considerably. Concerned about fuel, I radioed llano for fuel, but no answer after several radio calls. As I pressed on to horseshoe bay, I decided I had better land there whether I could get fuel there or not. At approximately XB55 pm the airplane lost partial power. After about a min, the engine lost all power and I radioed repeated maydays on 121.5. Apparently, aus approach and then san angelo FSS answered. With no other visible landing site in reach, I turned to follow the last of a line of nwbound vehicles on tx highway 71, and landed behind them, under pwrlines, safely and without incident. After coasting to a stop off the side of the highway, some motorists stopped in a few mins, helped me push the airplane a safe distance away from the edge of the highway, and gave me a ride into llano. I phoned the san angelo FSS from his mobile phone. I let them know I was all right. No one was injured and neither the airplane nor any other property was damaged. I believe a higher than estimated consumption rate contributed to the situation, as well as the tremendously apparent headwind. 2 things could have prevented the event: 1) topping off the fuel tanks at ballinger, and 2) landing at brady or llano whether fuel was available or not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA RUNS OUT OF FUEL AND MAKES EMER LNDG ON A HWY AT NIGHT.

Narrative: WITH AN ESTIMATED 1 1/2 HRS FUEL STILL ON BOARD, I PUT ANOTHER 1 HR FUEL ON BOARD FOR RESERVE AT BALLINGER, TX. I ESTIMATED THE FLT FROM BALLINGER TO LAKEWAY, TX, WOULD TAKE APPROX 1 HR 15 MINS, AND DEPARTED BALLINGER AT ABOUT XA15 PM. OVER BRADY AND LLANO, TX, I COULD SEE THAT AN APPARENT HEADWIND HAD SLOWED MY GND SPD CONSIDERABLY. CONCERNED ABOUT FUEL, I RADIOED LLANO FOR FUEL, BUT NO ANSWER AFTER SEVERAL RADIO CALLS. AS I PRESSED ON TO HORSESHOE BAY, I DECIDED I HAD BETTER LAND THERE WHETHER I COULD GET FUEL THERE OR NOT. AT APPROX XB55 PM THE AIRPLANE LOST PARTIAL PWR. AFTER ABOUT A MIN, THE ENG LOST ALL PWR AND I RADIOED REPEATED MAYDAYS ON 121.5. APPARENTLY, AUS APCH AND THEN SAN ANGELO FSS ANSWERED. WITH NO OTHER VISIBLE LNDG SITE IN REACH, I TURNED TO FOLLOW THE LAST OF A LINE OF NWBOUND VEHICLES ON TX HWY 71, AND LANDED BEHIND THEM, UNDER PWRLINES, SAFELY AND WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER COASTING TO A STOP OFF THE SIDE OF THE HWY, SOME MOTORISTS STOPPED IN A FEW MINS, HELPED ME PUSH THE AIRPLANE A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE EDGE OF THE HWY, AND GAVE ME A RIDE INTO LLANO. I PHONED THE SAN ANGELO FSS FROM HIS MOBILE PHONE. I LET THEM KNOW I WAS ALL RIGHT. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND NEITHER THE AIRPLANE NOR ANY OTHER PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED. I BELIEVE A HIGHER THAN ESTIMATED CONSUMPTION RATE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SIT, AS WELL AS THE TREMENDOUSLY APPARENT HEADWIND. 2 THINGS COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE EVENT: 1) TOPPING OFF THE FUEL TANKS AT BALLINGER, AND 2) LNDG AT BRADY OR LLANO WHETHER FUEL WAS AVAILABLE OR NOT.

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.