GA SMT FUEL EXHAUSTION AND DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE AFTER DECLARING FUEL EMER.

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AFTER SURVEY FLTS IN CA AND NV RETURNING XCOUNTRY TO E COAST BASE OF OPS; DEPARTED FROM GOODLAND; KS; (GLD) ORIGINAL DEST (REFUELING STOP) WAS FT WAYNE; IN. GOOD VFR WX ALONG RTE; 40-45 KT TAILWINDS; AND A CALCULATED FUEL ENDURANCE OF 5+30 LED ME TO CHANGE FUELING STOP TO ERIE; PA. ESTIMATED 30 MIN RESERVE UPON ARR. ENDURANCE CALCULATION WAS BASED ON TIME IT TOOK TO USE 1/2 OF FUEL IN MAIN TANKS BASED ON FUEL GAUGES. I FELT THIS WAS CONSERVATIVE SINCE IT INCLUDED STARTUP; TAXI; RUNUP; TKOF AND CLB. DURING DSCNT; APPROX 25 NM W OF ERI; OVER LAKE ERIE; BECAME APPARENT THAT I HAD LESS FUEL REMAINING THAN ANTICIPATED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER L ENG QUIT. SWITCHED TO NEARBY EMPTY AUX TANK; TURNED S TOWARDS LAKESHORE; AND DECLARED FUEL EMER. CTLR PROVIDED VECTOR AND DISTANCE TO ASHTABULA COUNTY ARPT (7G2). TRACKED DIRECTLY TO FIELD USING LORAN AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. TOTAL FLT TIME 4:57. POSSIBLE FACTORS: POOR JUDGEMENT; LACK OF COMMON SENSE; FAILURE TO BACK UP ENDURANCE FIGURE WITH CALCULATION BASED ON FUEL FLOW AND FUEL AVAILABLE; OCCASIONALLY ERRATIC INDICATIONS OF L FUEL GAUGE; OVER RELIANCE ON SUPPOSED ACCURACY OF CAPACITANCE TYPE FUEL GAUGE; PARALLAX ERROR IN READING OVERHEAD FUEL GAUGES; FAILURE OF FUEL LOW LEVEL WARNING SYS; GET HOMEITIS -- TRYING TO STRETCH IT; FATIGUE -- 2 DAYS OF EARLY STARTS AND LONG HRS.