The aircraft ran out of fuel.

Attributes
ACN	277544
Time
Date	199407
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lhk
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	277544
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight was a pleasure flight for picture taking. The trip was supposed to last about an hour. The aircraft (C-150) was preflted and I noticed that the fuel was low, but thought it was enough for about 2 hours. The tachometer sheet showed 3/8 of a tank. Unfortunately, this was from the previous flight, so there was less than that. I think this is important because of my previous training at another location. I've always written down fuel on returning, this was fuel at takeoff. Although my preflight should have noticed, I trusted the fact sheet. The flight went on uneventful until after about an hour the engine quit. My one fuel gauge still indicated 1/4 and the other between 1/4 and empty. The landing was made on a road and no one was injured and nothing was damaged. Upon inspecting the aircraft the fuel cap was found to be dangling by the chain, thus giving me the 1/4 indication from the suction. I should have planned better, but was in a hurry due to other circumstances out of my control. I have learned a valuable lesson and hope the rest of my flying career will go uneventful. A valuable lesson is to add up the flight time, either hobbs or tachometer and figure out exactly how much is on board. And when in doubt, get more fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS A PLEASURE FLT FOR PICTURE TAKING. THE TRIP WAS SUPPOSED TO LAST ABOUT AN HR. THE ACFT (C-150) WAS PREFLTED AND I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL WAS LOW, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS ENOUGH FOR ABOUT 2 HRS. THE TACHOMETER SHEET SHOWED 3/8 OF A TANK. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WAS FROM THE PREVIOUS FLT, SO THERE WAS LESS THAN THAT. I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF MY PREVIOUS TRAINING AT ANOTHER LOCATION. I'VE ALWAYS WRITTEN DOWN FUEL ON RETURNING, THIS WAS FUEL AT TKOF. ALTHOUGH MY PREFLT SHOULD HAVE NOTICED, I TRUSTED THE FACT SHEET. THE FLT WENT ON UNEVENTFUL UNTIL AFTER ABOUT AN HR THE ENG QUIT. MY ONE FUEL GAUGE STILL INDICATED 1/4 AND THE OTHER BTWN 1/4 AND EMPTY. THE LNDG WAS MADE ON A ROAD AND NO ONE WAS INJURED AND NOTHING WAS DAMAGED. UPON INSPECTING THE ACFT THE FUEL CAP WAS FOUND TO BE DANGLING BY THE CHAIN, THUS GIVING ME THE 1/4 INDICATION FROM THE SUCTION. I SHOULD HAVE PLANNED BETTER, BUT WAS IN A HURRY DUE TO OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES OUT OF MY CTL. I HAVE LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON AND HOPE THE REST OF MY FLYING CAREER WILL GO UNEVENTFUL. A VALUABLE LESSON IS TO ADD UP THE FLT TIME, EITHER HOBBS OR TACHOMETER AND FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW MUCH IS ON BOARD. AND WHEN IN DOUBT, GET MORE FUEL.

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.