SMA HAS FORCED LNDG DUE POOR PLANNING AND FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative

BEFORE STARTING TO RENT ACFT AT FBO I HAD 42 HRS XCOUNTRY EXPERIENCE ON OTHER TYPES AND NIL HRS IN COMMAND ON TYPE SINCE OBTAINING PPL IN JULY 1989. I DID NOT HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE OF SMA ENDURANCE EXCEPT THAT I KNEW THAT HANDBOOKS SPECIFIED PERIODS BTWN 4 AND 6 HRS. I DO NOT TRUST HANDBOOKS WRITTEN ABOUT NEW ACFT FLOWN BY TEST PLTS. I THEREFORE ASKED AN INSTRUCTOR BY REF TO THE 3-LEG JOURNEY I WAS UNDERTAKING WHAT WAS THE ENDURANCE OF THE SMA; MENTIONING THE 4 TO 6 HRS MENTIONED IN MANUALS. HE ADVISED 8 HRS. I SAID ' SO 4 OR 5 WOULD BE FINE' AND HE SAID 'YES.' I THEN ALTERED MY FLT LOG TO ASSUME 5 HRS ENDURANCE AND PROCEEDED TO FLY THE 3 LEGS. AFTER 3 HRS 40 MIN THE ACFT ENG STOPPED. I HAVE SINCE REFERRED TO THE MANUAL I HAD IN MY POSSESSION WHICH IS WIDELY USED IN ENGLAND. IT GIVES 4 HRS 30 MIN ENDURANCE AND 432 MI FOR 2000 FT ALT AT 2300 RPM. I HAD COVERED ONLY 322 MI (SUBJECT TO ANY SLIGHT TRACK ERROR.) I WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS OCCURRENCE IF THE FBO HAD GIVEN MORE CONSERVATIVE ADVICE AS TO THE ENDURANCE OF THE ACFT IN QUESTION OR IF IT'S ENDURANCE HAD APPROX THE PUBLISHED FIGURE.