Narrative:

Preflight inspection at ZZZ1 and filled plane to the necks in tanks, which would be 36 gals, of which 34 gals are useable. This is due to maximum weight limits. Departed at XA05, opened flight plan and asked for flight following to ZZZ2. At about XC15 asked flight following to land at ZZZ3. Reason to change was to relieve ourselves. Landed at about XC35. 2.5 hours flight time or 9 gph. Closed flight plan and refiled one for ZZZ4. Filled tanks to necks again, put in 21.6 gals. Departed at XD07. Opened flight plan and got flight following to ZZZ4 at about XF35. ZZZ3 tower told me to contact ZZZ center in about 5 mins. Tried but no response. At about XF40 right tank ran out, switched to left. After looking at situation for a min or so, I decided to divert to a closer airport. ZZZ4 was about 20 NM and ZZZ about 12 NM. This was east of us and the wind would be on our tail. Left tank went dry at 7.8 NM. Called emergency on 121.5 and landed in bean field 2.6 NM from ZZZ. It has been 60 hours since this happened and after going over it 10 million times in my mind there are several factors that should have taken place. After the first 24 hours of saying this should not have happened, this is what should have happened. Filling a plane to the necks is not an exact science. There are too many variables. Is the plane level, both side to side, and front to back? Did I fill them the same all the time? I left ZZZ5 and flew to ZZZ6 in 5.1 hours hobbs time and had the fuel receipts. This part of the trip we burned 10.48 gph and I failed to look at them. Mistake #1. I knew that we would be bucking a headwind and it would take a lot longer to return. I figured on stopping 3 times on the way home instead of two and after stopping on the first leg, I used the gals I put in, to figure my burn rate of 9 gals. Mistake #2. In the air I didn't figure my time and distance for the fuel I had left. I knew I was getting low, but felt I could make it. Mistake #3. After running out of fuel on my right tank, I thought about what I needed to do too long. Even if it was only a few mins, this could have made the difference. Mistake #4. This has been a very emotional experience for myself and the people that entrusted their lives with me. I am sure their thought of flying has changed. I am not so sure about mine. I thank the good lord for putting the only smooth bean field under me and the ability to keep my composure to fly the plane and land it in the dark. With the help of god, there are 4 grateful people physically not hurt at all nor any damage to the plane. The only thing hurt is my pride and I can swallow that.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT, WHEN FLYING AT NIGHT, RAN OUT OF FUEL AND MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: PREFLT INSPECTION AT ZZZ1 AND FILLED PLANE TO THE NECKS IN TANKS, WHICH WOULD BE 36 GALS, OF WHICH 34 GALS ARE USEABLE. THIS IS DUE TO MAX WT LIMITS. DEPARTED AT XA05, OPENED FLT PLAN AND ASKED FOR FLT FOLLOWING TO ZZZ2. AT ABOUT XC15 ASKED FLT FOLLOWING TO LAND AT ZZZ3. REASON TO CHANGE WAS TO RELIEVE OURSELVES. LANDED AT ABOUT XC35. 2.5 HRS FLT TIME OR 9 GPH. CLOSED FLT PLAN AND REFILED ONE FOR ZZZ4. FILLED TANKS TO NECKS AGAIN, PUT IN 21.6 GALS. DEPARTED AT XD07. OPENED FLT PLAN AND GOT FLT FOLLOWING TO ZZZ4 AT ABOUT XF35. ZZZ3 TWR TOLD ME TO CONTACT ZZZ CTR IN ABOUT 5 MINS. TRIED BUT NO RESPONSE. AT ABOUT XF40 R TANK RAN OUT, SWITCHED TO L. AFTER LOOKING AT SIT FOR A MIN OR SO, I DECIDED TO DIVERT TO A CLOSER ARPT. ZZZ4 WAS ABOUT 20 NM AND ZZZ ABOUT 12 NM. THIS WAS E OF US AND THE WIND WOULD BE ON OUR TAIL. L TANK WENT DRY AT 7.8 NM. CALLED EMER ON 121.5 AND LANDED IN BEAN FIELD 2.6 NM FROM ZZZ. IT HAS BEEN 60 HRS SINCE THIS HAPPENED AND AFTER GOING OVER IT 10 MILLION TIMES IN MY MIND THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE. AFTER THE FIRST 24 HRS OF SAYING THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, THIS IS WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. FILLING A PLANE TO THE NECKS IS NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE. THERE ARE TOO MANY VARIABLES. IS THE PLANE LEVEL, BOTH SIDE TO SIDE, AND FRONT TO BACK? DID I FILL THEM THE SAME ALL THE TIME? I LEFT ZZZ5 AND FLEW TO ZZZ6 IN 5.1 HRS HOBBS TIME AND HAD THE FUEL RECEIPTS. THIS PART OF THE TRIP WE BURNED 10.48 GPH AND I FAILED TO LOOK AT THEM. MISTAKE #1. I KNEW THAT WE WOULD BE BUCKING A HEADWIND AND IT WOULD TAKE A LOT LONGER TO RETURN. I FIGURED ON STOPPING 3 TIMES ON THE WAY HOME INSTEAD OF TWO AND AFTER STOPPING ON THE FIRST LEG, I USED THE GALS I PUT IN, TO FIGURE MY BURN RATE OF 9 GALS. MISTAKE #2. IN THE AIR I DIDN'T FIGURE MY TIME AND DISTANCE FOR THE FUEL I HAD LEFT. I KNEW I WAS GETTING LOW, BUT FELT I COULD MAKE IT. MISTAKE #3. AFTER RUNNING OUT OF FUEL ON MY R TANK, I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT I NEEDED TO DO TOO LONG. EVEN IF IT WAS ONLY A FEW MINS, THIS COULD HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE. MISTAKE #4. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR MYSELF AND THE PEOPLE THAT ENTRUSTED THEIR LIVES WITH ME. I AM SURE THEIR THOUGHT OF FLYING HAS CHANGED. I AM NOT SO SURE ABOUT MINE. I THANK THE GOOD LORD FOR PUTTING THE ONLY SMOOTH BEAN FIELD UNDER ME AND THE ABILITY TO KEEP MY COMPOSURE TO FLY THE PLANE AND LAND IT IN THE DARK. WITH THE HELP OF GOD, THERE ARE 4 GRATEFUL PEOPLE PHYSICALLY NOT HURT AT ALL NOR ANY DAMAGE TO THE PLANE. THE ONLY THING HURT IS MY PRIDE AND I CAN SWALLOW THAT.

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.