Narrative:

I was forced to land a cessna 152 off airport. I had flown the plane to ZZZ1 and was on the return flight back home. En route; I began to gain a 15 KT tailwind from the north. I mistakenly felt confident that this combined with the fuel tanks (both now sitting at 1/4) would adequately carry me to ZZZ2. My tailwind turned into a 15 KT headwind from the southwest. I had to make a decision and turning back would have meant traveling further and knowingly into a headwind; so I pressed on for ZZZ2. After contacting approach; I was handed to the tower around 10 mi out. I knew I was low on fuel. After the tower asked me to fly a right downwind for runway 27; I requested a direct right base entry to save time. 2 mi southeast of the VOR; while setting up for a long base leg; the engine began to produce minimal power. I went through my procedures. I may have made the airport; but with others' safety in mind I felt it was best to make the precautionary landing. I pitched for best glide and turned away from ZZZ2. I called the tower just as I found a road to land on; gave him my intentions and souls on board. I safely landed on an empty road; with no damage to property or injury to myself or others. After speaking with the airport fire department and local FBO manager; we all felt it was in my best interest to secure the aircraft overnight. The following morning the aircraft was inspected by an a&P and was then flown to ZZZ2; fueled; and returned home. Enrichening the mixture to break in the new engine led to higher than normal fuel consumption; and I did not plan accordingly to this. I believe headwinds; poor flight planning; gauge misinterp and pilot fatigue were/are also contributing factors to what happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 PLT MISCALCULATED FUEL REQUIRED FOR FLT; AND LANDED ON A ROAD WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER FROM FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: I WAS FORCED TO LAND A CESSNA 152 OFF ARPT. I HAD FLOWN THE PLANE TO ZZZ1 AND WAS ON THE RETURN FLT BACK HOME. ENRTE; I BEGAN TO GAIN A 15 KT TAILWIND FROM THE N. I MISTAKENLY FELT CONFIDENT THAT THIS COMBINED WITH THE FUEL TANKS (BOTH NOW SITTING AT 1/4) WOULD ADEQUATELY CARRY ME TO ZZZ2. MY TAILWIND TURNED INTO A 15 KT HEADWIND FROM THE SW. I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION AND TURNING BACK WOULD HAVE MEANT TRAVELING FURTHER AND KNOWINGLY INTO A HEADWIND; SO I PRESSED ON FOR ZZZ2. AFTER CONTACTING APCH; I WAS HANDED TO THE TWR AROUND 10 MI OUT. I KNEW I WAS LOW ON FUEL. AFTER THE TWR ASKED ME TO FLY A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 27; I REQUESTED A DIRECT R BASE ENTRY TO SAVE TIME. 2 MI SE OF THE VOR; WHILE SETTING UP FOR A LONG BASE LEG; THE ENG BEGAN TO PRODUCE MINIMAL PWR. I WENT THROUGH MY PROCS. I MAY HAVE MADE THE ARPT; BUT WITH OTHERS' SAFETY IN MIND I FELT IT WAS BEST TO MAKE THE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. I PITCHED FOR BEST GLIDE AND TURNED AWAY FROM ZZZ2. I CALLED THE TWR JUST AS I FOUND A ROAD TO LAND ON; GAVE HIM MY INTENTIONS AND SOULS ON BOARD. I SAFELY LANDED ON AN EMPTY ROAD; WITH NO DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OR INJURY TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE ARPT FIRE DEPT AND LCL FBO MGR; WE ALL FELT IT WAS IN MY BEST INTEREST TO SECURE THE ACFT OVERNIGHT. THE FOLLOWING MORNING THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED BY AN A&P AND WAS THEN FLOWN TO ZZZ2; FUELED; AND RETURNED HOME. ENRICHENING THE MIXTURE TO BREAK IN THE NEW ENG LED TO HIGHER THAN NORMAL FUEL CONSUMPTION; AND I DID NOT PLAN ACCORDINGLY TO THIS. I BELIEVE HEADWINDS; POOR FLT PLANNING; GAUGE MISINTERP AND PLT FATIGUE WERE/ARE ALSO CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO WHAT HAPPENED.

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.