Narrative:

During preflight inspection and planning it was determined that there was sufficient fuel for a cross country flight with a 45 min reserve. En route it was discovered that due to an abnormally high fuel consumption rate that the destination could not be reached and an alternate airport was chosen that would suit our purposes (refueling after normal working hours). As course was flown to the alternate airport, it was determined that because of the abnormally high fuel consumption that the alternate airport could not be reached safely and a closer airport was chosen to land safely. Because of the nature of the airport and lighting conditions a positive identify of the airport could not be achieved. Due to the risk of a fuel starvation and loss of power a landing site was chosen (an untravelled well distinguished road) and utilized to execute a precautionary landing. The aircraft was not damaged and the passenger were not injured. It was discovered later that a vapor was seen coming from the wings by a passenger but was not reported to the pilots. Possible fuel cap seals not working properly could have caused the high rate of fuel loss.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PRECAUTIONARY OFF ARPT LNDG DUE HIGH FUEL CONSUMPTION.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT INSPECTION AND PLANNING IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR A XCOUNTRY FLT WITH A 45 MIN RESERVE. ENRTE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT DUE TO AN ABNORMALLY HIGH FUEL CONSUMPTION RATE THAT THE DEST COULD NOT BE REACHED AND AN ALTERNATE ARPT WAS CHOSEN THAT WOULD SUIT OUR PURPOSES (REFUELING AFTER NORMAL WORKING HRS). AS COURSE WAS FLOWN TO THE ALTERNATE ARPT, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BECAUSE OF THE ABNORMALLY HIGH FUEL CONSUMPTION THAT THE ALTERNATE ARPT COULD NOT BE REACHED SAFELY AND A CLOSER ARPT WAS CHOSEN TO LAND SAFELY. BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE ARPT AND LIGHTING CONDITIONS A POSITIVE IDENT OF THE ARPT COULD NOT BE ACHIEVED. DUE TO THE RISK OF A FUEL STARVATION AND LOSS OF PWR A LNDG SITE WAS CHOSEN (AN UNTRAVELLED WELL DISTINGUISHED ROAD) AND UTILIZED TO EXECUTE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. THE ACFT WAS NOT DAMAGED AND THE PAX WERE NOT INJURED. IT WAS DISCOVERED LATER THAT A VAPOR WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE WINGS BY A PAX BUT WAS NOT RPTED TO THE PLTS. POSSIBLE FUEL CAP SEALS NOT WORKING PROPERLY COULD HAVE CAUSED THE HIGH RATE OF FUEL LOSS.

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