Fuel exhaustion resulting in off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	316894
Time
Date	199509
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : anc
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 180 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	316894
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
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:

This inadvertent incident occurred en route from fallbrook to palomar. The flight originated in laughlin where I had flown to the night before with full fuel (24.5 gals usable). In laughlin, I put 12 gals of fuel aboard (total of 36.5 gals for entire trip). I departed laughlin approximately XA30. I went to fallbrook to drop a friend off. I checked the tanks in fallbrook and saw what I thought to be plenty of fuel for the 10 min flight back to carlsbad (palomar airport). About 3 mi from the runway, the power started to surge. I then decided to land on a suitable road in case I wasn't able to make the runway. I landed the plane safely with no damage to person, property, or aircraft. Here are fuel calculation that I used from the pilot operator's handbook for a C152. Total hours on plane: 5.9. Total usable gals of fuel (in aircraft and purchased): 36.5. And gal/hour at 2200 RPM at 8500 ft: 4.4. 36.5 divided 4.4 equals 8.3 hours. This shows there was reasonable fuel, even with extra fuel subtracted for takeoff, taxi and climb to comply with the regulation for 30 min reserve. I did not intentionally exhaust the plane of fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL EXHAUSTION RESULTING IN OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: THIS INADVERTENT INCIDENT OCCURRED ENRTE FROM FALLBROOK TO PALOMAR. THE FLT ORIGINATED IN LAUGHLIN WHERE I HAD FLOWN TO THE NIGHT BEFORE WITH FULL FUEL (24.5 GALS USABLE). IN LAUGHLIN, I PUT 12 GALS OF FUEL ABOARD (TOTAL OF 36.5 GALS FOR ENTIRE TRIP). I DEPARTED LAUGHLIN APPROX XA30. I WENT TO FALLBROOK TO DROP A FRIEND OFF. I CHKED THE TANKS IN FALLBROOK AND SAW WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE PLENTY OF FUEL FOR THE 10 MIN FLT BACK TO CARLSBAD (PALOMAR ARPT). ABOUT 3 MI FROM THE RWY, THE PWR STARTED TO SURGE. I THEN DECIDED TO LAND ON A SUITABLE ROAD IN CASE I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE THE RWY. I LANDED THE PLANE SAFELY WITH NO DAMAGE TO PERSON, PROPERTY, OR ACFT. HERE ARE FUEL CALCULATION THAT I USED FROM THE PLT OPERATOR'S HANDBOOK FOR A C152. TOTAL HRS ON PLANE: 5.9. TOTAL USABLE GALS OF FUEL (IN ACFT AND PURCHASED): 36.5. AND GAL/HR AT 2200 RPM AT 8500 FT: 4.4. 36.5 DIVIDED 4.4 EQUALS 8.3 HRS. THIS SHOWS THERE WAS REASONABLE FUEL, EVEN WITH EXTRA FUEL SUBTRACTED FOR TKOF, TAXI AND CLB TO COMPLY WITH THE REG FOR 30 MIN RESERVE. I DID NOT INTENTIONALLY EXHAUST THE PLANE OF 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.