RPTR MAKES FORCED LNDG ON FREEWAY WHEN ENG QUIT FOR LACK OF FUEL.

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FORCED LNDG DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. ACFT (C172) LOST PWR AT 9500 FT MSL ON APCH INTO PHX AREA. ESTABLISHED BEST GLIDE SPD; ATTEMPTED TO MAKE DVT ARPT; COULD NOT LOCATE ALTERNATE. BECAME APPARENT COULD NOT MAKE DVT. LANDED ON SBOUND LANE OF INTERSTATE 17 APPROX 5 MI NW OF DVT. FORCED LNDG WAS SUCCESSFUL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES; NO DAMAGE TO ACFT; NO DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. SHOULD HAVE INSURED ACFT WAS FULLY TOPPED OFF FOR FLT. THOUGHT FUEL AVAILABLE WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR FLT; BUT WAS MISTAKEN. ENCOUNTERED STRONG HEADWINDS ON RETURN LEG WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE HAD 2 PAX. WHEN THE ENG FIRST QUIT HE WAS NOT SURE LACK OF FUEL WAS THE CAUSE. THE FUEL GAUGES WERE BOUNCING OFF EMPTY. HE CHKED CARB HEAT; FUEL SELECTOR ON BOTH; MIXTURE RICH; L AND R MAGNETOS AND RAN THE ENG FAILURE CHKLIST. HE PULLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AND KICKED THE RUDDERS TO SPLASH THE FUEL AROUND IN THE TANKS IN THE WINGS WHEREUPON THE ENG STARTED TO RUN. HE FOUND BY PEDALING THE RUDDERS HE COULD KEEP THE ENG RUNNING TO THE POINT HE WAS OUT OF THE HILLS AND IN FACT THOUGHT FOR A WHILE HE WAS GOING TO MAKE DEER VALLEY ARPT. HE SAID HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE STRAIGHT STRETCH OF INTERSTATE 17 HE WAS GLIDING FOR WHEN THE ENG QUIT COMPLETELY. HE TURNED ON ALL HIS LNDG LIGHTS AND TAXI LIGHTS. SOME HELI PLTS THAT HAPPENED TO BE OPERATING IN THE AREA SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND RAN INTERFERENCE FOR HIM WITH RESPECT TO THE CARS ON THE HWY. THE PLT WAS ON HIS WAY TO GLENDALE ARPT AND HAD HIS RADIO TUNED TO GLENDALE CTAF. THE TWR WAS CLOSED BUT SOMEONE IN THE TFC AT GLENDALE RELAYED TO PHX APCH WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THE RPTR DID NOT WANT TO DISTRACT HIMSELF WITH THE RADIO ACTIVITY OF CHANGING FREQS. HE DID NOT FLY A DOWNWIND AND BASE BUT RATHER GLIDED STRAIGHT AHEAD FOR THE STRAIGHT-IN LNDG ON THE HWY. HE KNEW HE WAS HEADED INTO THE WIND AS HEADWIND IS ONE REASON HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. ANOTHER REASON HE RAN OUT OF FUEL WAS HE DID NOT CLB UP ON THE WING TO CONFIRM THE LINEMAN CLAIM THE CESSNA 172 HAD BEEN TOPPED OFF BEFORE DEPARTING GLENDALE. HE HAD MADE THE TRIP BEFORE IN THAT AIRPLANE TO OVERFLY THE FLAGSTAFF AREA (HE DID NOT LAND) AND HAD PLENTY OF FUEL. THE LNDG ON THE FREEWAY WAS SMOOTH AND HE FOUND AN AREA ALONG THE MEDIAN TO COAST THE AIRPLANE CLR OF HWY TFC. THE COUNTY SHERIFF; THE DEPT OF PUBLIC SAFETY (AZ HWY PATROL); THE TELEVISION NEWS STATIONS AND ON-LOOKERS SOON GATHERED. HE NOTIFIED THE FAA AND AFTER INVESTIGATION THE FAA RECOMMENDED HE TAKE REMEDIAL TRAINING WHICH HE DID. THE RECORDS OF THE REMEDIAL TRAINING WERE PLACED IN HIS FILE. THE FBO FLEW THE C172 OFF THE FREEWAY BACK TO THE GLENDALE ARPT IN THE WEE HRS OF THE MORNING WITH THE APPROVAL AND ASSISTANCE OF THE APPROPRIATE AUTHS AFTER REPLENISHING THE AIRPLANE WITH FUEL. THERE WERE NO DAMAGES OR INJURIES.