FUEL EXHAUSTION OFF ARPT EMER LNDG.

Narrative

THE INTENT OF THIS RPT IS TO RECOUNT THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THE OFF-AIRFIELD LNDG OF A CESSNA 182 NXXX IN THE VICINITY OF DONEGAL SPRINGS ARPT (N71). THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE LNDG WAS IN A CORNFIELD APPROX 1/4 MI SE OF THE APCH END OF RWY 27. THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THE ACFT WAS OWNER. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE PLANE; AND NO INJURY SUSTAINED BY THE PLT. THIS ACFT IS LEASED. ON THE DAY OF THE OCCURRENCE NXXX HAD ALREADY FLOWN 1 FUEL LOAD AND WAS TO BE REFUELED FOR THE SECOND TIME AFTER LNDG. THE ACFT ARE REFUELED AFTER 4 TRIPS TO 10500 FT MSL. AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE NXXX WAS RETURNING FROM THE 4TH TRIP TO 10500 FT MSL. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD FLOWN THIS PARTICULAR ACFT. I HAVE FLOWN THE OTHER PLANE AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE ACFT TYPE IN THE UTILITY CONFIGN; PARTICULARLY CONFIGURED FOR PARACHUTE OPS. DUE TO TIMING AND DEMAND; BOTH PLANES WERE IN THE AIR AT THE SAME TIME. THE SECOND PLANE WAS CLBING AND DSNDING OVER MARIETTA. TO PROVIDE VERT AND HORIZ SEPARATION I WAS CLBING AND DSNDING IN A RACE TRACK PATTERN FROM CHICKIES ROCK (THE BEND IN THE RIVER) TO COLUMBIA; AN AREA THAT I DON'T NORMALLY USE. THIS LOCATION REQUIRED A STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO THE DROP ZONE FROM THE SE. THIS APCH WAS ENTIRELY INTO THE WIND; RESULTING IN EXTENDED TIMES ON THE JUMP RUNS (APPROX 10 MINS LONGER). I WAS DSNDING AFTER THE 4TH LOAD AND ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. I WAS IN THE PATTERN TO LAND AND SPACED MYSELF WITH THE OTHER TFC; ANOTHER PLANE ON FINAL. THE TFC PATTERN AT DONEGAL SPRINGS WAS RWY 27; L TFC. I WAS ON BASE WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE PWR. AT MY CURRENT PWR AND AIRSPD I DETERMINED THAT I COULD NOT SAFELY GLIDE TO THE RWY SO I CHOSE A FIELD THAT APPEARED SUITABLE FOR LNDG. I CALLED ON THE UNICOM STATING MY SIT AND INTENTIONS TO LAND IN THE FIELD. THE LNDG WAS A NORMAL PWR-OFF; SOFT- FIELD LNDG. AFTER LNDG I DID A QUICK WALK AROUND THE ACFT AND AGAIN CALLED ON UNICOM STATING THAT I HAD NO INJURIES AND THE ACFT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE DAMAGED. ASSUMING THAT THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH DUE TO FUEL STARVATION; I ALSO ASKED FOR FUEL. I THEN DID A THOROUGH WALK AROUND AND AGAIN FOUND NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. AT THIS POINT I DECIDED THAT THE BEST AND EASIEST WAY TO GET THE ACFT BACK TO THE ARPT WAS TO TAXI ON ARPT TO THE AIRFIELD (APPROX 1/2 MI). WITH THE HELP OF SOME PEOPLE FROM THE ARPT WE PUT APPROX 4 GALLONS OF 100LL FUEL IN THE R TANK AND PUSHED THE ACFT OUT TO THE ROAD. AN EAST DONEGAL TOWNSHIP POLICE OFFICER DROVE TO THE ARPT AND BLOCKED THE ROAD TO PREVENT ANY TFC INTERFERENCE. I STARTED THE ACFT AND UNEVENTFULLY TAXIED THE ACFT BACK TO THE ARPT.