Corporate aircraft runs out of fuel, makes off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	271077
Time
Date	199405
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fmn
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 46 flight time total : 1315 flight time type : 136
ASRS Report	271077
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My flight my right tank ran dry. I was descending under ATC control from 19000 ft to 17000 ft for arrival into my destination airport. I switched tanks restarting the engine. I requested a 180 degree turn to return to farmington, NM. ZAB turned me over to ZDV after granting my request. Upon communicating with ZDV, I declared a fuel emergency. Shortly thereafter my left tank ran dry. I realized that I would not make it to farmington, so I selected a suitable dirt road to land on. I made an uneventful landing. I contacted the local sheriff and FSS to inform them of my condition. I renewed and completed my flight the following morning. I feel that I conducted meticulous flight planning and preflight inspection assuring that I would have adequate fuel and reserve for the trip. At this time I am unaware of what might have caused the problem but I am having my mechanic inspect the fuel system thoroughly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORPORATE ACFT RUNS OUT OF FUEL, MAKES OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: MY FLT MY R TANK RAN DRY. I WAS DSNDING UNDER ATC CTL FROM 19000 FT TO 17000 FT FOR ARR INTO MY DEST ARPT. I SWITCHED TANKS RESTARTING THE ENG. I REQUESTED A 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN TO FARMINGTON, NM. ZAB TURNED ME OVER TO ZDV AFTER GRANTING MY REQUEST. UPON COMMUNICATING WITH ZDV, I DECLARED A FUEL EMER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER MY L TANK RAN DRY. I REALIZED THAT I WOULD NOT MAKE IT TO FARMINGTON, SO I SELECTED A SUITABLE DIRT ROAD TO LAND ON. I MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. I CONTACTED THE LCL SHERIFF AND FSS TO INFORM THEM OF MY CONDITION. I RENEWED AND COMPLETED MY FLT THE FOLLOWING MORNING. I FEEL THAT I CONDUCTED METICULOUS FLT PLANNING AND PREFLT INSPECTION ASSURING THAT I WOULD HAVE ADEQUATE FUEL AND RESERVE FOR THE TRIP. AT THIS TIME I AM UNAWARE OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE PROB BUT I AM HAVING MY MECH INSPECT THE FUEL SYS THOROUGHLY.

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.