Narrative:

I departed ZZZ1 airport about XA00 en route to the ZZZ airport. Before departing ZZZ1 and during the preflight inspection; I visually inspected the fuel level in both tanks and both fuel gauges showed just over 1/4. I estimated the fuel to be 10-12 gallons of usable fuel remaining. I expected to have enough fuel to fly the 30 min flight to ZZZ and still have over 5 gallons of usable fuel remaining; which would have provided me with more than an additional 30 mins of flight at normal cruising speed. About XA30; cruising at 1500 ft MSL and about 5 NM from the ZZZ airport; the engine stopped running. I chose a field to make an emergency landing and I touched down slightly harder than normal. The landing gear spread and the propeller hit the ground and the aircraft rolled to a stop in about 150 ft. Damage to the aircraft was limited to a bent propeller; 1 bent landing gear and several wrinkled skins just behind the pilot's door. No injuries occurred on this landing and no damage was done to any property on the ground. My estimate of the usable fuel remaining in the tanks was in error as I departed ZZZ1.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C305 PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD AFTER HIS ENGINE QUIT FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION. SLIGHT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT RESULTED.

Narrative: I DEPARTED ZZZ1 ARPT ABOUT XA00 ENRTE TO THE ZZZ ARPT. BEFORE DEPARTING ZZZ1 AND DURING THE PREFLT INSPECTION; I VISUALLY INSPECTED THE FUEL LEVEL IN BOTH TANKS AND BOTH FUEL GAUGES SHOWED JUST OVER 1/4. I ESTIMATED THE FUEL TO BE 10-12 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL REMAINING. I EXPECTED TO HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO FLY THE 30 MIN FLT TO ZZZ AND STILL HAVE OVER 5 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL REMAINING; WHICH WOULD HAVE PROVIDED ME WITH MORE THAN AN ADDITIONAL 30 MINS OF FLT AT NORMAL CRUISING SPD. ABOUT XA30; CRUISING AT 1500 FT MSL AND ABOUT 5 NM FROM THE ZZZ ARPT; THE ENG STOPPED RUNNING. I CHOSE A FIELD TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG AND I TOUCHED DOWN SLIGHTLY HARDER THAN NORMAL. THE LNDG GEAR SPREAD AND THE PROP HIT THE GND AND THE ACFT ROLLED TO A STOP IN ABOUT 150 FT. DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS LIMITED TO A BENT PROP; 1 BENT LNDG GEAR AND SEVERAL WRINKLED SKINS JUST BEHIND THE PLT'S DOOR. NO INJURIES OCCURRED ON THIS LNDG AND NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO ANY PROPERTY ON THE GND. MY ESTIMATE OF THE USABLE FUEL REMAINING IN THE TANKS WAS IN ERROR AS I DEPARTED ZZZ1.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.