PA28 pilot has fuel starvation during cruise and executes an off field landing.

Attributes
ACN	585181
Time
Date	200306
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2980
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 19 flight time total : 314 flight time type : 174
ASRS Report	585181
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauge other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight planning and standard WX briefing with forecast of winds at our cruising altitude used in our calculations, showed we should have up to 2 extra hours of fuel past our refueling point, at economy cruise. We encountered turbulence and increased headwinds beyond predictions and some windshear . At our last check point, a VOR near an alternate airport with fuel, I decided to go on based on a fuel gauge reading, that seemed to be right based on fuel burn for economy cruise speeds. The plane ran out of fuel 4 mi east of the airport, and we didn't have enough altitude to glide to the airport. We landed on a highway just outside of town, with no damage and no injuries to anyone! Factors: 1) turbulence combined with efforts to maintain altitude burned fuel at a faster rate. 2) a sticking fuel gauge needle gave a false reading, we could have landed at a closer airport, if the gauge read right. Future: 1) add '1/3 plus' to the burn rate calculations when moderate turbulence is encountered. 2) don't trust gas gauges, only trust time at burn rate and add in 1/3 factor for turbulence, and 3) really monitor ground speeds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT HAS FUEL STARVATION DURING CRUISE AND EXECUTES AN OFF FIELD LNDG.

Narrative: FLT PLANNING AND STANDARD WX BRIEFING WITH FORECAST OF WINDS AT OUR CRUISING ALT USED IN OUR CALCULATIONS, SHOWED WE SHOULD HAVE UP TO 2 EXTRA HRS OF FUEL PAST OUR REFUELING POINT, AT ECONOMY CRUISE. WE ENCOUNTERED TURB AND INCREASED HEADWINDS BEYOND PREDICTIONS AND SOME WINDSHEAR . AT OUR LAST CHK POINT, A VOR NEAR AN ALTERNATE ARPT WITH FUEL, I DECIDED TO GO ON BASED ON A FUEL GAUGE READING, THAT SEEMED TO BE RIGHT BASED ON FUEL BURN FOR ECONOMY CRUISE SPDS. THE PLANE RAN OUT OF FUEL 4 MI E OF THE ARPT, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ALT TO GLIDE TO THE ARPT. WE LANDED ON A HWY JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN, WITH NO DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES TO ANYONE! FACTORS: 1) TURB COMBINED WITH EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN ALT BURNED FUEL AT A FASTER RATE. 2) A STICKING FUEL GAUGE NEEDLE GAVE A FALSE READING, WE COULD HAVE LANDED AT A CLOSER ARPT, IF THE GAUGE READ RIGHT. FUTURE: 1) ADD '1/3 PLUS' TO THE BURN RATE CALCULATIONS WHEN MODERATE TURB IS ENCOUNTERED. 2) DON'T TRUST GAS GAUGES, ONLY TRUST TIME AT BURN RATE AND ADD IN 1/3 FACTOR FOR TURB, AND 3) REALLY MONITOR GND SPDS.

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.