FUEL EXHAUSTION CAUSES OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative

I WAS ACTING AS PIC OF A PIPER PA-25-235 PAWNEE. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT; THE ACFT WAS BEING USED TO TOW GLIDERS AT EAGLE FIELD ARPT N OF OMAHA; NE. THE FIELD IS A PVT ARPT AND CTAF RADIO COM WAS BEING USED. AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE I WAS MAKING MY 14TH TOW OF THE DAY IN STRONG GUSTY WINDS (APPROX 30 MPH). THIS TOW WAS TO BE MY LAST TOW OF THE DAY; AND THE GLIDER OPS WERE TO END AFTER THIS TOW. THE GLIDER WAS HOOKED TO THE PAWNEE TOW PLANE. AFTER GETTING THE SIGNAL FOR TKOF FROM THE GLIDER GND CREW AND THE GLIDER PLT; I PROCEEDED TO TKOF AND CLB TO 3000 FT AGL APPROX 4 - 5 MI SW OF THE FIELD WITH GLIDER IN TOW. DURING THE CLBOUT; I NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATING LESS THAN 5 GALLONS (DURING THE CLB); IT HAD INDICATED APPROX 7 - 8 GALLONS THE LAST TIME I LOOKED AT IT WHILE ON THE GND JUST PRIOR TO GLIDER HOOK UP. UPON REACHING 3000 FT AGL; JUST PRIOR TO THE PLANNED RELEASE POINT OF THE GLIDER; THE PAWNEE SUDDENLY LOST PWR AS THE ENG QUIT. I IMMEDIATELY ADVISED THE GLIDER IN TOW THAT I HAD A PROB WITH THE PAWNEE AND THAT HE SHOULD BREAK AWAY. THE GLIDER PLT DID SO AND AT THAT TIME I SET BEST GLIDE SPD. TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE ARPT AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE PAWNEE ENG WITHOUT SUCCESS. I ADVISED THE GLIDER GND CREW AND OTHER POSSIBLE TFC IN THE AREA THAT I HAD AN ENG OUT AND WAS RETURNING TO THE ARPT FOR LNDG. DUE TO A STRONG TAILWIND; APPROX (30 MPH) I ARRIVED OVER THE FIELD AT APPROX 850 FT AGL. I ATTEMPTED TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND LEG TO RWY 18 (NOTE THE WIND WAS OUT OF APPROX 200 DEGS AT 30 MPH). AS I TURNED BASE LEG. I REALIZED THAT I HAD NOT COMPENSATED ENOUGH FOR THE WIND AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STRETCH THE FINAL TO THE RWY. AT THAT TIME I ELECTED TO LAND SHORT OF THE RWY IN A PLOWED CORNFIELD JUST ACROSS THE HWY AT THE END OF RWY 18. THE LNDG IN THE FIELD WAS MADE AND NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE ACFT OR CORNFIELD. IN ADDITION NO INJURY WAS SUSTAINED TO MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE. THE NEXT DAY THE ACFT WAS DRAINED OF ANY FUEL (ONLY A FEW DROPS) AND THEN REFUELED AND RUN-UP FOR TESTING. A COMPRESSION TEST WAS DONE BY A LICENSED MECH. THE ENG AND ACFT CHKED OUT TO BE AIRWORTHY. THE CAUSE OF THE ENG LOSS OF PWR WAS DETERMINED TO BE FUEL STARVATION. FROM THIS INCIDENT I HAVE LEARNED THAT A COMBINATION OF MY COMPLACENCY AND FATIGUE; BROUGHT ABOUT BY 14 PRIOR ROUTINE TOWS; ALONG WITH MY FAILURE TO MONITOR MY FUEL BURN AND SUPPLY ABOARD THE ACFT; LED TO THE FUEL STARVATION AND PWR LOSS OF THE ACFT ENG. ALSO MY MISJUDGMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF THE WIND LED TO THE OFF FIELD LNDG OF THE ACFT. I DO FEEL FORTUNATE THAT MY PRIOR TRAINING LEFT ME ABLE TO AT LEAST GET THE ACFT BACK ON THE GND WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE OR INJURY. THE READERS OF THIS RPT CAN BE ASSURED THAT THIS WRITER/PLT WILL NEVER AGAIN BE NEGLECTFUL OF HIS RESPONSIBILITY AS PIC OF ANY ACFT IN REGARDS TO FUEL MGMNT.