ENG QUITS AT CRUISE. FORCED LNDG.

Narrative

DEPARTED ADS RWY 15 AT XX20 LCL TIME. MADE L TURN TO A HDG OF 360 DEGS AND CLBED TO 2000 FT MSL AT A 25/25 PWR SETTING. ONCE LEVEL AT 2000 MSL; ESTABLISHED PWR SETTING OF 21/23. MADE L TURN TO A HDG OF 330 DEG ONCE CLR OF ADS TFC; AND STAYED AT 2000 FT MSL TO BE BELOW DALLAS CLASS B AIRSPACE. ENG SPUTTERED; THEN CAUGHT; THEN SPUTTERED AND FAILED IN FLT. PLT ATTEMPTED SEVERAL THINGS TO RESOLVE SIT: SWITCH FUEL TANKS; CYCLED MIXTURE; CYCLED MAGNETOS; ENGAGED STARTER; ESTABLISH BEST GLIDE SPD OF 100 KTS. QUICKLY MADE DECISION TO EMERGENCY LAND. PICKED ONLY FIELD AVAILABLE (OFF L WING); TURNED TO BASE LEG; THEN FINAL. ONCE FIELD MADE; DROPPED GEAR AND FLAPS AND MADE SOFT FIELD LNDG. NO DAMAGE TO PERSONS; PROPERTY; OR ACFT. SUSPECTED CAUSE: DRY TANK ON RIGHT FUEL TANK. KNEW FROM PREFLT THAT FUEL WAS LOW. SHOULD HAVE HAD ACFT TOPPED IN ADS VERSUS ATTEMPTING TO FLY TO DTO 20 NM AWAY. SHOULD HAVE SWITCHED TO L TANK PRIOR TO TKOF DUE TO 3/10 HR ON GND WAITING TO TAKE OFF. DID NOT SWITCH TANKS BECAUSE DID NOT TRUST L FUEL GAUGE READING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO ACFT. IT WAS FLOWN OUT THE SAME DAY. THE R TANK INDICATED IT HAD FUEL; 19 GALLONS. RPTR BELIEVES THE GAUGES ARE FAULTY IN THIS RENTAL ACFT. HE FAULTS THE FBO AS THEY INDICATED HOW MUCH FUEL ACFT HAD IN IT. DOES NOT ADMIT HE DID ANYTHING WRONG BUT DID THE REMEDIAL TRAINING REQUIRED BY THE FAA AND INCIDENT IS CLOSED. PERHAPS PLT ERROR BUT THINKS THERE WAS STILL SOME FUEL IN ACFT.