Narrative:

Did a preflight and made a note that I had 12 gals in 1 tank and 15 gals in the other. The flight is approximately 40 mins. My plane burns approximately 7 gals per hour. That gives me less than 4 hours. I flew to destination and back over my friend's house (he has wanted me to take a picture). I noticed both of my gas gauges went to empty. I never consider them to be accurate, but was worried that I had a leak or a mistake in recording my fuel. I called a friend in ZZZ to have him pick me up at airport, flew over and saw the X's (closed). I called him back as he arrived there and asked him to check the field. A man was flying 'rc's' and he asked him to hold up so I could land. I landed and checked tanks, 1 gal in right side and 3 gals in left side. My plane can burn car gas. I put in 5 gals and flew to ZZZ1 as I have an account there. I put in 30.5 gals of 100LL. We found no leaks in the tanks. It appears I had made a mistake in checking fuel. I will be more careful in checking fuel in the future. I am glad I landed, I would not have made it much farther.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 MISCALCULATES FUEL ON BOARD, DIVERTS TO A CLOSED ARPT, AND LANDS WITH A TOTAL OF 4 GALS OF FUEL.

Narrative: DID A PREFLT AND MADE A NOTE THAT I HAD 12 GALS IN 1 TANK AND 15 GALS IN THE OTHER. THE FLT IS APPROX 40 MINS. MY PLANE BURNS APPROX 7 GALS PER HR. THAT GIVES ME LESS THAN 4 HRS. I FLEW TO DEST AND BACK OVER MY FRIEND'S HOUSE (HE HAS WANTED ME TO TAKE A PICTURE). I NOTICED BOTH OF MY GAS GAUGES WENT TO EMPTY. I NEVER CONSIDER THEM TO BE ACCURATE, BUT WAS WORRIED THAT I HAD A LEAK OR A MISTAKE IN RECORDING MY FUEL. I CALLED A FRIEND IN ZZZ TO HAVE HIM PICK ME UP AT ARPT, FLEW OVER AND SAW THE X'S (CLOSED). I CALLED HIM BACK AS HE ARRIVED THERE AND ASKED HIM TO CHK THE FIELD. A MAN WAS FLYING 'RC'S' AND HE ASKED HIM TO HOLD UP SO I COULD LAND. I LANDED AND CHKED TANKS, 1 GAL IN R SIDE AND 3 GALS IN L SIDE. MY PLANE CAN BURN CAR GAS. I PUT IN 5 GALS AND FLEW TO ZZZ1 AS I HAVE AN ACCOUNT THERE. I PUT IN 30.5 GALS OF 100LL. WE FOUND NO LEAKS IN THE TANKS. IT APPEARS I HAD MADE A MISTAKE IN CHKING FUEL. I WILL BE MORE CAREFUL IN CHKING FUEL IN THE FUTURE. I AM GLAD I LANDED, I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT MUCH FARTHER.

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.