Forgot about fuel on preflight, took off, and after 30 mins ran out of gas. Off field landing.

Attributes
ACN	327689
Time
Date	199602
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msy
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msy
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 156 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	327689
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
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:

A distraction during preflight that took me away from the aircraft broke my train of thought (in retrospect) and I failed to perform a visual check of the fuel tank(south). After about 1 hour and 30 mins of local flying, the engine began to surge. I recognized the possibility of fuel exhaustion and decided to land on a reachable stretch of area away from roadways and buildings. The landing was successful and without damage to the aircraft, any other property, or injury. I think if flight instructors and proficiency examiners would teach a from-the-beginning preflight any time the sequence is broken it would be helpful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FORGOT ABOUT FUEL ON PREFLT, TOOK OFF, AND AFTER 30 MINS RAN OUT OF GAS. OFF FIELD LNDG.

Narrative: A DISTR DURING PREFLT THAT TOOK ME AWAY FROM THE ACFT BROKE MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT (IN RETROSPECT) AND I FAILED TO PERFORM A VISUAL CHK OF THE FUEL TANK(S). AFTER ABOUT 1 HR AND 30 MINS OF LCL FLYING, THE ENG BEGAN TO SURGE. I RECOGNIZED THE POSSIBILITY OF FUEL EXHAUSTION AND DECIDED TO LAND ON A REACHABLE STRETCH OF AREA AWAY FROM ROADWAYS AND BUILDINGS. THE LNDG WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE ACFT, ANY OTHER PROPERTY, OR INJURY. I THINK IF FLT INSTRUCTORS AND PROFICIENCY EXAMINERS WOULD TEACH A FROM-THE-BEGINNING PREFLT ANY TIME THE SEQUENCE IS BROKEN IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

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.