Pilot of unknown aircraft lands on highway short of destination when the engine suffers fuel starvat...

Attributes
ACN	675108
Time
Date	200510
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 169 flight time total : 720 flight time type : 39
ASRS Report	675108
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I departed a grass field in ZZZ1 bound for ZZZ. The flight was a VFR flight with no flight plan filed. The fuel was calculated in my head before departing and I was satisfied I had enough fuel for the flight. Approximately 5 mi short of my destination; my engine started to skip. Shortly after; I lost all power. I landed on a 4-LANE divided highway approximately 1 mi short of my destination. After adding fuel; the law enforcement closed the road and allowed me to take off where I returned to my final destination. In all my flts going forward; I will plan out my fuel on paper so I can rechk it. I will also do all I can do to visually check the fuel with my eyes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF UNKNOWN ACFT LANDS ON HWY SHORT OF DEST WHEN THE ENG SUFFERS FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: I DEPARTED A GRASS FIELD IN ZZZ1 BOUND FOR ZZZ. THE FLT WAS A VFR FLT WITH NO FLT PLAN FILED. THE FUEL WAS CALCULATED IN MY HEAD BEFORE DEPARTING AND I WAS SATISFIED I HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE FLT. APPROX 5 MI SHORT OF MY DEST; MY ENG STARTED TO SKIP. SHORTLY AFTER; I LOST ALL PWR. I LANDED ON A 4-LANE DIVIDED HWY APPROX 1 MI SHORT OF MY DEST. AFTER ADDING FUEL; THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CLOSED THE ROAD AND ALLOWED ME TO TAKE OFF WHERE I RETURNED TO MY FINAL DESTINATION. IN ALL MY FLTS GOING FORWARD; I WILL PLAN OUT MY FUEL ON PAPER SO I CAN RECHK IT. I WILL ALSO DO ALL I CAN DO TO VISUALLY CHK THE FUEL WITH MY EYES.

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.

Pilot of unknown aircraft lands on highway short of destination when the engine suffers fuel starvation.