C172 forced landing on a freeway due to fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	618392
Time
Date	200405
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hwd.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hwd.tower tower : pdk.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	618392
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel guages 930 other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Upon preflting the airplane I saw and felt the fuel tanks were full. I was planning on a 3 hour flight of traffic observation. I did a normal run-up check. During that check, I saw that the fuel tank indicators were indicating full tanks on both sides. I checked that the fuel feed selector was on both tanks during the run-up check. I do not ever rely on the fuel indicators, but during my preflight, I verified that I had full fuel, which would be about 5 hours of fuel. About 1.5 hours into the flight, I noticed an uneven burn. I left the fuel selector on both. The right tank was half full and the left tank was 3/4 full. 2.3 hours into the flight, I noticed that the right tank was almost empty and the left tank was less than 1/2 full. I did not trust these gauges and have not trusted them in the past. Since I was showing I had fuel, I continued the flight. I continued also due to knowing I took off with full fuel. At exactly 3.0 hours in the flight, I was still showing fuel in the left tank and none in the right tank. At this time, there were 8 mins left in the flight and I was within 5 NM of the airport. When calling the tower to enter the airspace, the engine began to sputter. I immediately put the fuel to left tank and mixture rich. This got the plane going again, but only for about 30 seconds. After that, the propeller just windmilled and I had a place to land, but it was occupied by children. I was forced to land on the freeway. There was no injury or damage. I thought I had fuel but inspection of the tanks revealed no fuel in right tank and marginal fuel in left tank.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 FORCED LNDG ON A FREEWAY DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: UPON PREFLTING THE AIRPLANE I SAW AND FELT THE FUEL TANKS WERE FULL. I WAS PLANNING ON A 3 HR FLT OF TFC OBSERVATION. I DID A NORMAL RUN-UP CHK. DURING THAT CHK, I SAW THAT THE FUEL TANK INDICATORS WERE INDICATING FULL TANKS ON BOTH SIDES. I CHKED THAT THE FUEL FEED SELECTOR WAS ON BOTH TANKS DURING THE RUN-UP CHK. I DO NOT EVER RELY ON THE FUEL INDICATORS, BUT DURING MY PREFLT, I VERIFIED THAT I HAD FULL FUEL, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT 5 HRS OF FUEL. ABOUT 1.5 HRS INTO THE FLT, I NOTICED AN UNEVEN BURN. I LEFT THE FUEL SELECTOR ON BOTH. THE R TANK WAS HALF FULL AND THE L TANK WAS 3/4 FULL. 2.3 HRS INTO THE FLT, I NOTICED THAT THE R TANK WAS ALMOST EMPTY AND THE L TANK WAS LESS THAN 1/2 FULL. I DID NOT TRUST THESE GAUGES AND HAVE NOT TRUSTED THEM IN THE PAST. SINCE I WAS SHOWING I HAD FUEL, I CONTINUED THE FLT. I CONTINUED ALSO DUE TO KNOWING I TOOK OFF WITH FULL FUEL. AT EXACTLY 3.0 HRS IN THE FLT, I WAS STILL SHOWING FUEL IN THE L TANK AND NONE IN THE R TANK. AT THIS TIME, THERE WERE 8 MINS LEFT IN THE FLT AND I WAS WITHIN 5 NM OF THE ARPT. WHEN CALLING THE TWR TO ENTER THE AIRSPACE, THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER. I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE FUEL TO L TANK AND MIXTURE RICH. THIS GOT THE PLANE GOING AGAIN, BUT ONLY FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. AFTER THAT, THE PROP JUST WINDMILLED AND I HAD A PLACE TO LAND, BUT IT WAS OCCUPIED BY CHILDREN. I WAS FORCED TO LAND ON THE FREEWAY. THERE WAS NO INJURY OR DAMAGE. I THOUGHT I HAD FUEL BUT INSPECTION OF THE TANKS REVEALED NO FUEL IN R TANK AND MARGINAL FUEL IN L TANK.

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.