SMA RUNS OUT OF FUEL AND MAKES EMER LNDG ON A HWY AT NIGHT.

Narrative

WITH AN ESTIMATED 1 1/2 HRS FUEL STILL ON BOARD; I PUT ANOTHER 1 HR FUEL ON BOARD FOR RESERVE AT BALLINGER; TX. I ESTIMATED THE FLT FROM BALLINGER TO LAKEWAY; TX; WOULD TAKE APPROX 1 HR 15 MINS; AND DEPARTED BALLINGER AT ABOUT XA15 PM. OVER BRADY AND LLANO; TX; I COULD SEE THAT AN APPARENT HEADWIND HAD SLOWED MY GND SPD CONSIDERABLY. CONCERNED ABOUT FUEL; I RADIOED LLANO FOR FUEL; BUT NO ANSWER AFTER SEVERAL RADIO CALLS. AS I PRESSED ON TO HORSESHOE BAY; I DECIDED I HAD BETTER LAND THERE WHETHER I COULD GET FUEL THERE OR NOT. AT APPROX XB55 PM THE AIRPLANE LOST PARTIAL PWR. AFTER ABOUT A MIN; THE ENG LOST ALL PWR AND I RADIOED REPEATED MAYDAYS ON 121.5. APPARENTLY; AUS APCH AND THEN SAN ANGELO FSS ANSWERED. WITH NO OTHER VISIBLE LNDG SITE IN REACH; I TURNED TO FOLLOW THE LAST OF A LINE OF NWBOUND VEHICLES ON TX HWY 71; AND LANDED BEHIND THEM; UNDER PWRLINES; SAFELY AND WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER COASTING TO A STOP OFF THE SIDE OF THE HWY; SOME MOTORISTS STOPPED IN A FEW MINS; HELPED ME PUSH THE AIRPLANE A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE EDGE OF THE HWY; AND GAVE ME A RIDE INTO LLANO. I PHONED THE SAN ANGELO FSS FROM HIS MOBILE PHONE. I LET THEM KNOW I WAS ALL RIGHT. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND NEITHER THE AIRPLANE NOR ANY OTHER PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED. I BELIEVE A HIGHER THAN ESTIMATED CONSUMPTION RATE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SIT; AS WELL AS THE TREMENDOUSLY APPARENT HEADWIND. 2 THINGS COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE EVENT: 1) TOPPING OFF THE FUEL TANKS AT BALLINGER; AND 2) LNDG AT BRADY OR LLANO WHETHER FUEL WAS AVAILABLE OR NOT.