Narrative:

On a VFR flight on may/sun/05 at XA28; it was necessary to make a forced landing in a field due to the engine sputtering and eventually ceasing to operate. I made a power-off landing in a field without incident. No injuries or damage to the aircraft or property. A visual inspection of the fuel tank showed no visible fuel and the indications leading to the engine stopping were consistent with fuel starvation. Prior to departure; I had estimated 2 hours fuel on board based upon hours flown since last refueling. The fuel gauge indicated approximately 1/4 full when the engine died. After obtaining 15 gallons of 100LL from the airport at ZZZ; the aircraft was taken off without incident and refueled at ZZZ with no further incident. Causes: I believe the primary cause was miscalculating the fuel on board prior to the flight. In rechking my figures; I had made a subtraction error that was 1 hour off from the actual time flown from last refueling; instead of 2 hours fuel on board I had 1 hour. A contributing factor was my failure to top off my fuel prior to departure as is my normal practice. An additional factor; although not directly contributing to the problem was that the fuel gauge was not reading correctly; indicating at least 1/4 full when the engine died. Corrective actions/lessons: 1) doublechk fuel calculations prior to any departure. 2) always top off the fuel when possible prior to departure; especially for a trip. 3) have contacted my mechanic to have the fuel gauge checked and fixed or replaced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NAVION MADE AN OFF FIELD LNDG AFTER FUEL STARVATION CAUSED THE ENG TO QUIT.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT ON MAY/SUN/05 AT XA28; IT WAS NECESSARY TO MAKE A FORCED LNDG IN A FIELD DUE TO THE ENG SPUTTERING AND EVENTUALLY CEASING TO OPERATE. I MADE A PWR-OFF LNDG IN A FIELD WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR PROPERTY. A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANK SHOWED NO VISIBLE FUEL AND THE INDICATIONS LEADING TO THE ENG STOPPING WERE CONSISTENT WITH FUEL STARVATION. PRIOR TO DEP; I HAD ESTIMATED 2 HRS FUEL ON BOARD BASED UPON HRS FLOWN SINCE LAST REFUELING. THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED APPROX 1/4 FULL WHEN THE ENG DIED. AFTER OBTAINING 15 GALLONS OF 100LL FROM THE ARPT AT ZZZ; THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OFF WITHOUT INCIDENT AND REFUELED AT ZZZ WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. CAUSES: I BELIEVE THE PRIMARY CAUSE WAS MISCALCULATING THE FUEL ON BOARD PRIOR TO THE FLT. IN RECHKING MY FIGURES; I HAD MADE A SUBTRACTION ERROR THAT WAS 1 HR OFF FROM THE ACTUAL TIME FLOWN FROM LAST REFUELING; INSTEAD OF 2 HRS FUEL ON BOARD I HAD 1 HR. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS MY FAILURE TO TOP OFF MY FUEL PRIOR TO DEP AS IS MY NORMAL PRACTICE. AN ADDITIONAL FACTOR; ALTHOUGH NOT DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROB WAS THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT READING CORRECTLY; INDICATING AT LEAST 1/4 FULL WHEN THE ENG DIED. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS/LESSONS: 1) DOUBLECHK FUEL CALCULATIONS PRIOR TO ANY DEP. 2) ALWAYS TOP OFF THE FUEL WHEN POSSIBLE PRIOR TO DEP; ESPECIALLY FOR A TRIP. 3) HAVE CONTACTED MY MECH TO HAVE THE FUEL GAUGE CHKED AND FIXED OR REPLACED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.