Narrative:

The flight was completed in 4.3 hours. After landing, the aircraft was refueled, taking 44 gallons of fuel. In preparation for the return flight, I filed a VFR flight plan and received a WX brief. The WX was not significantly different from that during the flight inbound. I then flew the aircraft solo with a destination of mckinney, tx, where I was to meet the instructor who had flown there in another aircraft. After flying for 4.6 hours, I was about 4 mi on final to tki when the engine began to sputter and then stopped. I turned on the boost pump, adjusted the mixture to full rich, and switched to the left tank. The engine restarted and I decided to try to climb to gain some additional altitude. After approximately 1 min, the engine again stopped running. I set the aircraft up for best glide speed and switched tanks again. The engine would not restart. I informed the tower that the engine had stopped. The tower cleared me to land. At this point I realized that it would be extremely difficult to make the runway. I decided to make a landing in a field about 1/4 mi from the end of the runway. The off-airport landing was made without any injury to me or damage to the aircraft. Below are several factors which I believe contributed to this incident: 1) during the flight, I was vectored by ATC around the memphis airport. This added several mins and distance to the return. 2) the winds en route may have been stronger than forecast. 3) I may not have leaned the mixture as much as the instructor did on the outbound flight, increasing the fuel burn. 4) I had always been told that the aircraft used fuel at a rate (9.5 gph) that would allow for 5 hours of flight. 5) although my planning indicated the flight would take 4.2 hours and 41 gallons, I should have made a fuel stop along the route.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT RUNS OUT OF GAS AND LANDS SHORT OF RWY.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS COMPLETED IN 4.3 HRS. AFTER LNDG, THE ACFT WAS REFUELED, TAKING 44 GALLONS OF FUEL. IN PREPARATION FOR THE RETURN FLT, I FILED A VFR FLT PLAN AND RECEIVED A WX BRIEF. THE WX WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT FROM THAT DURING THE FLT INBOUND. I THEN FLEW THE ACFT SOLO WITH A DEST OF MCKINNEY, TX, WHERE I WAS TO MEET THE INSTRUCTOR WHO HAD FLOWN THERE IN ANOTHER ACFT. AFTER FLYING FOR 4.6 HRS, I WAS ABOUT 4 MI ON FINAL TO TKI WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND THEN STOPPED. I TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP, ADJUSTED THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH, AND SWITCHED TO THE L TANK. THE ENG RESTARTED AND I DECIDED TO TRY TO CLB TO GAIN SOME ADDITIONAL ALT. AFTER APPROX 1 MIN, THE ENG AGAIN STOPPED RUNNING. I SET THE ACFT UP FOR BEST GLIDE SPD AND SWITCHED TANKS AGAIN. THE ENG WOULD NOT RESTART. I INFORMED THE TWR THAT THE ENG HAD STOPPED. THE TWR CLRED ME TO LAND. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED THAT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE RWY. I DECIDED TO MAKE A LNDG IN A FIELD ABOUT 1/4 MI FROM THE END OF THE RWY. THE OFF-ARPT LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT ANY INJURY TO ME OR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. BELOW ARE SEVERAL FACTORS WHICH I BELIEVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT: 1) DURING THE FLT, I WAS VECTORED BY ATC AROUND THE MEMPHIS ARPT. THIS ADDED SEVERAL MINS AND DISTANCE TO THE RETURN. 2) THE WINDS ENRTE MAY HAVE BEEN STRONGER THAN FORECAST. 3) I MAY NOT HAVE LEANED THE MIXTURE AS MUCH AS THE INSTRUCTOR DID ON THE OUTBOUND FLT, INCREASING THE FUEL BURN. 4) I HAD ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT THE ACFT USED FUEL AT A RATE (9.5 GPH) THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR 5 HRS OF FLT. 5) ALTHOUGH MY PLANNING INDICATED THE FLT WOULD TAKE 4.2 HRS AND 41 GALLONS, I SHOULD HAVE MADE A FUEL STOP ALONG THE RTE.

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.