C172 pilot made an off airport landing because of possible fuel quantity problems.

Attributes
ACN	466614
Time
Date	200003
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 70
ASRS Report	466614
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was on a VFR cross country on a round robin back to my base. I was flying a C172. We had calculated 3.5 hours of fuel onboard for a 100 mi leg back into our base. 35 mi out from our base, I observed the fuel gauges one at a time drop off to the peg. (That is reading zero fuel.) I immediately took action to see if we were venting fuel, but that proved unsuccessful. I was in contact with a flight service and they vectored us to the nearest airport. The airport was privately owned, and was covered with snow, and we were unable to locate the field. The only other action we could take was to land in a field (that is, a soft field landing). We successfully made a soft field landing in a farmer's field. There was no damage done to the airframe or to the 2 pilots onboard. When we did a visual inspection of the fuel situation, there was adequate fuel onboard. We had no way of knowing the real problem unless we got the airplane on the ground. I know that you are supposed to calculate your fuel in route by the clock and not the gauges, but to watch the fuel gauges drop off one at a time to zero was enough for both of us to decide to get the airplane on the ground safely, so as to cause zero damage to people on the ground, the airplane, or the 2 pilots onboard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT MADE AN OFF ARPT LNDG BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE FUEL QUANTITY PROBS.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR XCOUNTRY ON A ROUND ROBIN BACK TO MY BASE. I WAS FLYING A C172. WE HAD CALCULATED 3.5 HRS OF FUEL ONBOARD FOR A 100 MI LEG BACK INTO OUR BASE. 35 MI OUT FROM OUR BASE, I OBSERVED THE FUEL GAUGES ONE AT A TIME DROP OFF TO THE PEG. (THAT IS READING ZERO FUEL.) I IMMEDIATELY TOOK ACTION TO SEE IF WE WERE VENTING FUEL, BUT THAT PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH A FLT SVC AND THEY VECTORED US TO THE NEAREST ARPT. THE ARPT WAS PRIVATELY OWNED, AND WAS COVERED WITH SNOW, AND WE WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FIELD. THE ONLY OTHER ACTION WE COULD TAKE WAS TO LAND IN A FIELD (THAT IS, A SOFT FIELD LNDG). WE SUCCESSFULLY MADE A SOFT FIELD LNDG IN A FARMER'S FIELD. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE DONE TO THE AIRFRAME OR TO THE 2 PLTS ONBOARD. WHEN WE DID A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL SIT, THERE WAS ADEQUATE FUEL ONBOARD. WE HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING THE REAL PROB UNLESS WE GOT THE AIRPLANE ON THE GND. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CALCULATE YOUR FUEL IN RTE BY THE CLOCK AND NOT THE GAUGES, BUT TO WATCH THE FUEL GAUGES DROP OFF ONE AT A TIME TO ZERO WAS ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US TO DECIDE TO GET THE AIRPLANE ON THE GND SAFELY, SO AS TO CAUSE ZERO DAMAGE TO PEOPLE ON THE GND, THE AIRPLANE, OR THE 2 PLTS ONBOARD.

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.