Narrative:

At departure on a 279 NM cross country flight, I had calculated a flight time of 3 hours 30 mins. Wind was from the west at 15 KTS, altitude 3000 ft MSL, with a west heading. My interpretation of the performance charts for the C152 manual gave me an endurance of 4 hours. This would allow 30 mins reserve fuel. At 3 hours into the flight, fuel gauges were reading 1/8 tank. I felt it sufficient to reach my destination of about 40 more NM. At 3 hours 9 mins, the engine went rough. I was within gliding distance of a private grass strip and made a safe landing. On the ground the engine smoothed out, but I was clearly in need of fuel. I feel there were several factors that brought me to this situation: 'get homeitis.' I had been stranded for 4 days due to WX and needed to get back. Poor judgement of situation, 20 degrees above standard temperature, and improper leaning. I kept it rich to add cooling because of a high RPM setting. I falsely trusted the fuel gauges. My recent training in C172 gave me false expectations of the C152. I feel some ways to prevent this situation would be to become much more familiar with performance of the aircraft and to calculate a safety margin into any performance information. Above all I believe the key is simply to plan ahead in specific detail, the entire flight, and never to be in too great a hurry to make an extra fuel stop.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C152 WAS LANDED ON A PVT GRASS STRIP AS A RESULT OF FUEL EXHAUSTION. PERSONAL PLT PRESSURE TO GET HOME AND PLANNING TECHNIQUE, WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Narrative: AT DEP ON A 279 NM XCOUNTRY FLT, I HAD CALCULATED A FLT TIME OF 3 HRS 30 MINS. WIND WAS FROM THE W AT 15 KTS, ALT 3000 FT MSL, WITH A W HDG. MY INTERP OF THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS FOR THE C152 MANUAL GAVE ME AN ENDURANCE OF 4 HRS. THIS WOULD ALLOW 30 MINS RESERVE FUEL. AT 3 HRS INTO THE FLT, FUEL GAUGES WERE READING 1/8 TANK. I FELT IT SUFFICIENT TO REACH MY DEST OF ABOUT 40 MORE NM. AT 3 HRS 9 MINS, THE ENG WENT ROUGH. I WAS WITHIN GLIDING DISTANCE OF A PVT GRASS STRIP AND MADE A SAFE LNDG. ON THE GND THE ENG SMOOTHED OUT, BUT I WAS CLRLY IN NEED OF FUEL. I FEEL THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT BROUGHT ME TO THIS SIT: 'GET HOMEITIS.' I HAD BEEN STRANDED FOR 4 DAYS DUE TO WX AND NEEDED TO GET BACK. POOR JUDGEMENT OF SIT, 20 DEGS ABOVE STANDARD TEMP, AND IMPROPER LEANING. I KEPT IT RICH TO ADD COOLING BECAUSE OF A HIGH RPM SETTING. I FALSELY TRUSTED THE FUEL GAUGES. MY RECENT TRAINING IN C172 GAVE ME FALSE EXPECTATIONS OF THE C152. I FEEL SOME WAYS TO PREVENT THIS SIT WOULD BE TO BECOME MUCH MORE FAMILIAR WITH PERFORMANCE OF THE ACFT AND TO CALCULATE A SAFETY MARGIN INTO ANY PERFORMANCE INFO. ABOVE ALL I BELIEVE THE KEY IS SIMPLY TO PLAN AHEAD IN SPECIFIC DETAIL, THE ENTIRE FLT, AND NEVER TO BE IN TOO GREAT A HURRY TO MAKE AN EXTRA FUEL STOP.

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.