FORCED LNDG AS A RESULT OF FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative

AFTER INQUIRING FROM AN INSTRUCTOR AT THE FBO WHERE I RENT ACFT; HE INFORMED ME THAT THE AIRPLANE; A 172 CESSNA WAS ALL READY TO GO. I ASKED HIM WHAT SIZE TANKS THE AIRPLANE WAS OUTFITTED WITH AND HE STATED 43 GALLONS; 40 USABLE. I CALCULATED AT 8 GALLONS PER HR. THAT WOULD GIVE ME 5 HRS FLYING TIME AND SINCE MY TRIP WAS PLANNED TO BE 3 1/2 HRS; I WOULD HAVE 1 1/2 HRS TO SPARE. 20 MI FROM MY DEST I CALLED ON UNICOM FOR ARPT ADVISORY; AND RECEIVED A MESSAGE THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED AND WOULD HAVE TO GO TO WALL LAKE. WHILE CHKING THE CHART THE ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER SO I SWITCHED FROM BOTH TANKS TO THE L TANK. THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN BETTER BUT I DECIDED TO SCOUT OUT LNDG SPOTS AND TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE WIND AND DISTANCE TO LAND I DECIDED ON A SHORT STUBBLE FIELD AND CIRCLED TO LAND. I SET UP A DOWNWIND AND THE ENG QUIT. I INFORMED MY PAX TO PUT HIS SHOULDER HARNESS ON AND THEN DID A SOFT FIELD LNDG WITHOUT INCIDENT. I SHUT DOWN THE PLANE AND WE WALKED A SHORT DISTANCE TO A FARM HOUSE AND CALLED SAC CITY ARPT AND ASKED THE ARPT MGR TO CLOSE OUR FLT PLANT AND INFORM MY UNCLE THAT WE WERE ALRIGHT. MY UNCLE BROUGHT OUT 2 5-GALLON CANS OF 100 LL AND AFTER GOING OVER THE FIELD AND PACING IT OFF I DECIDED I COULD FLY IT OUT AFTER CALCULATING TKOF DISTANCE FOR A SOFT FIELD FROM THE FLT MANUAL. I TOOK OFF WITH 1 NOTCH OF FLAPS AND THEN LANDED 15 NM AWAY AT MY DEST ARPT. AFTER REVIEW I FOUND OUT THAT SOMEONE FLEW THE AIRPLANE. 8 HRS THE DAY BEFORE AND IT WAS NOT TOPPED OFF. I HAD CHKED THE TANKS BUT COULD NOT TELL 8 GALLONS WERE SHORT. FROM NOW ON I WILL TOP OFF BEFORE ANY TRIP OF DISTANCE AND PLAN A STOP SOONER EVEN THOUGH I THOUGHT AN HR AND 1/2 WAS PLENTY OF LEEWAY. P.S. FSS TOLD ME 1 RWY WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND CLOSED BUT SAID NOTHING OF THE OTHER RWY. AT SAC CITY EITHER WAY I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT THERE MY HEADWIND WAS STRONGER THAN CALCULATED AND FUEL BURN HAD TO BE MORE.