A C150 pilot experienced fuel exhaustion and made a forced landing near MN40.

Attributes
ACN	610575
Time
Date	200402
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hnl.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 205 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	610575
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I joined a friend on a round-trip, 1 1/2 hour pleasure flight for lunch. He exited the plane at the home airport so I could fly some more. The plane had been flown previous to our flight. The fuel gauges showed over 3/8 of a tank in the left tank and 1/2 a tank on the right gauge. My friend assumed I would fly locally and return. I flew 15 mins to a neighboring airport for a touch and go. The WX was beautiful, so I decided to enjoy the plane and WX. Flew to next airport for a full-stop landing. Decided to fly 20 mins to my home to fly and sightsee. After maneuvering in the area, headed for home airport. At each airport, I noted the fuel level. I could have stopped again at an airport, I flew right over, but the right gauge showed 3/8 of a tank and the left, slightly less than 1/8 of a tank. I was 30 mins from home airport and wanted the fuel sale to be there and could see no problem, based on the gauges. 15 mins later at 3500 ft MSL (2500 ft AGL), the engine quit. I attempted restart procedures with no success. I attempted to call pnm radio, but did not receive callback, so concentrated on landing. I landed in a large farm field with no damage to the plane. Both tanks were found to be empty. The plane was refueled and flown home. Cause of fuel outage: reliance on fuel gauges instead of checking fuel levels visually, no confirming amount of flying done previous to my flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C150 PLT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION AND MADE A FORCED LNDG NEAR MN40.

Narrative: I JOINED A FRIEND ON A ROUND-TRIP, 1 1/2 HR PLEASURE FLT FOR LUNCH. HE EXITED THE PLANE AT THE HOME ARPT SO I COULD FLY SOME MORE. THE PLANE HAD BEEN FLOWN PREVIOUS TO OUR FLT. THE FUEL GAUGES SHOWED OVER 3/8 OF A TANK IN THE L TANK AND 1/2 A TANK ON THE R GAUGE. MY FRIEND ASSUMED I WOULD FLY LOCALLY AND RETURN. I FLEW 15 MINS TO A NEIGHBORING ARPT FOR A TOUCH AND GO. THE WX WAS BEAUTIFUL, SO I DECIDED TO ENJOY THE PLANE AND WX. FLEW TO NEXT ARPT FOR A FULL-STOP LNDG. DECIDED TO FLY 20 MINS TO MY HOME TO FLY AND SIGHTSEE. AFTER MANEUVERING IN THE AREA, HEADED FOR HOME ARPT. AT EACH ARPT, I NOTED THE FUEL LEVEL. I COULD HAVE STOPPED AGAIN AT AN ARPT, I FLEW RIGHT OVER, BUT THE R GAUGE SHOWED 3/8 OF A TANK AND THE L, SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 1/8 OF A TANK. I WAS 30 MINS FROM HOME ARPT AND WANTED THE FUEL SALE TO BE THERE AND COULD SEE NO PROB, BASED ON THE GAUGES. 15 MINS LATER AT 3500 FT MSL (2500 FT AGL), THE ENG QUIT. I ATTEMPTED RESTART PROCS WITH NO SUCCESS. I ATTEMPTED TO CALL PNM RADIO, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE CALLBACK, SO CONCENTRATED ON LNDG. I LANDED IN A LARGE FARM FIELD WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE PLANE. BOTH TANKS WERE FOUND TO BE EMPTY. THE PLANE WAS REFUELED AND FLOWN HOME. CAUSE OF FUEL OUTAGE: RELIANCE ON FUEL GAUGES INSTEAD OF CHKING FUEL LEVELS VISUALLY, NO CONFIRMING AMOUNT OF FLYING DONE PREVIOUS TO MY FLT.

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.