OFF ARPT LNDG AFTER FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative

I LEFT DXR AT XA00 FOR A VFR FLT TO PDK. OUR FIRST PLANNED STOP FOR FUEL WAS LYH. AFTER ROUGHLY 2 1/2 HRS; NEAR ZDC; I PICKED UP AN IFR CLRNC. I PROCEEDED IFR FROM THAT POINT UNTIL LYH. AFTER BEING PASSED FROM APCH CTL TO THE TWR IN LYH (APPROX 5 MI FROM THE ARPT); THE R TANK RAN DRY AND THE ENG LOST PWR. I SWITCHED TANKS AND EXECUTED A RESTART PROC. I NOTIFIED THE TWR OF MY SIT AFTER THE ENG DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RESTART. AFTER APPROX 30-45 SECONDS; THE ENG RESTARTED AND I PROCEEDED TO THE ARPT. (I WAS SET UP FOR A STRAIGHT-IN LNDG.) APPROX 1/2 MI FROM THE END OF THE RWY; THE L TANK RAN DRY AND I HAD TO LAND IN A FIELD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. I HAD 1 PAX. THE ACFT RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE (INITIAL ESTIMATE OF $10;000). THE FAA AND POLICE WERE NOTIFIED. THE ACFT WAS TOWED TO THE ARPT ON A ROAD WITHOUT HAVING THE WINGS REMOVED. FROM THE TIME OF LIFTOFF (XA00) TO THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT (XD15) WAS 4 HRS AND 15 MINS. THE ACFT HAS A 50 GALLON TANK WITH 48 GALLONS USABLE. I RAN IT AT 65- 70 PERCENT HORSEPWR. THE PUBLISHED ENDURANCE IS LONGER THAN 4 HRS AND 15 MINS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A RENTAL CHEROKEE 180 OF LATE '60'S VINTAGE. HE PERSONALLY FILLED THE FUEL TANKS BEFORE DEP. THERE WERE ONLY 4.3 HRS ELAPSED TIME ON THE HR METER AT THE TIME OF FUEL EXHAUSTION; NOWHERE NEAR THE ADVERTISED FUEL DURATION. ONE OF THE FUEL GAUGES WAS INOP; BUT THE RPTR WAS NOT DEPENDING ON IT FOR AN ACCURATE READING. THIS WAS INVESTIGATED BY THE RICHMOND FSDO AND DEEMED TO BE AN INCIDENT. NO CERTIFICATE ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN. THE RPTR FOUND HIMSELF LOW OVER TREES. HE CROSSED THE TREES; THEN HAD TO FLY UNDER A PWRLINE. THE PWRLINE DID NOT BREAK; BUT CAUGHT THE VERT STABILIZER JUST BELOW THE ROTATING BEACON. THE VERT STABILIZER WAS PULLED AFT; CREATING A GAP AT THE FUSELAGE JUNCTURE. THE RPTR LANDED ON A CHURCH LAWN; ABOUT 100 YARDS LONG.