Narrative:

There is no doubt that this accident is entirely my fault. I tried to stretch the fuel and lost. This is the first accident I had in my 52 yrs of flying and hope the last one. I left oakland, ca, and headed to oshkosh, wi, with my son. I had done this trip last yr with the same airplane. I refuel 3 times and spend the night in la crosse, wi. This yr I decided to install tip tanks to increase my fuel capacity from 90 gals to 122 gals so that I have to refuel only once. My flight called for 180 KTS ground speed but the headwinds reduced it to 154 KTS. When I realized that I did not have enough fuel to the planned stop at fremont, northeast (fet), I had 40 mins fuel left. The WX at that point was overcast and I was flying over the clouds. But the WX was improving 50 mi or so ahead and I decided to land at arthur (38V), northeast. I was in contact with ZDV and in fact I asked them for vectors at some point because I could not see arthur. I circled a few times trying to locate it but no luck. After 15 mins of circling, the engine stopped and I landed in a mowed hay field which I had spotted while circling. There were no injuries or property damage. The airplane had minor damage and the next day I added 20 gals of fuel and took off alone leaving my son to meet me in the ogallala (oga). The local FBO shop checked the airplane and the next morning we took off for oakland.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CESSNA PLT LANDS OUT OF GAS IN HAY FIELD WHEN HEADWINDS ARE STRONGER THAN PLANNED.

Narrative: THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS ACCIDENT IS ENTIRELY MY FAULT. I TRIED TO STRETCH THE FUEL AND LOST. THIS IS THE FIRST ACCIDENT I HAD IN MY 52 YRS OF FLYING AND HOPE THE LAST ONE. I LEFT OAKLAND, CA, AND HEADED TO OSHKOSH, WI, WITH MY SON. I HAD DONE THIS TRIP LAST YR WITH THE SAME AIRPLANE. I REFUEL 3 TIMES AND SPEND THE NIGHT IN LA CROSSE, WI. THIS YR I DECIDED TO INSTALL TIP TANKS TO INCREASE MY FUEL CAPACITY FROM 90 GALS TO 122 GALS SO THAT I HAVE TO REFUEL ONLY ONCE. MY FLT CALLED FOR 180 KTS GND SPD BUT THE HEADWINDS REDUCED IT TO 154 KTS. WHEN I REALIZED THAT I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO THE PLANNED STOP AT FREMONT, NE (FET), I HAD 40 MINS FUEL LEFT. THE WX AT THAT POINT WAS OVCST AND I WAS FLYING OVER THE CLOUDS. BUT THE WX WAS IMPROVING 50 MI OR SO AHEAD AND I DECIDED TO LAND AT ARTHUR (38V), NE. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZDV AND IN FACT I ASKED THEM FOR VECTORS AT SOME POINT BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE ARTHUR. I CIRCLED A FEW TIMES TRYING TO LOCATE IT BUT NO LUCK. AFTER 15 MINS OF CIRCLING, THE ENG STOPPED AND I LANDED IN A MOWED HAY FIELD WHICH I HAD SPOTTED WHILE CIRCLING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE AIRPLANE HAD MINOR DAMAGE AND THE NEXT DAY I ADDED 20 GALS OF FUEL AND TOOK OFF ALONE LEAVING MY SON TO MEET ME IN THE OGALLALA (OGA). THE LCL FBO SHOP CHKED THE AIRPLANE AND THE NEXT MORNING WE TOOK OFF FOR OAKLAND.

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.