ERRONEOUS PENETRATION OF CLASS C AIRSPACE. LOW FUEL POOR PLANNING.

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RETURNING FROM SAC AREA; HEARD FLT WATCH SAY WX IN LA BASIN WAS DETERIORATING. I HAD LOADED 3 HRS FUEL FOR A 2 1/2 HR FLT. TO BE SAFE I FILED AN IFR WITH RANCHO RADIO AND WAS DIRECTED TO GET CLRNC FROM BAKERSFIELD. THE LATTER WOULDN'T HANDLE ME AND TOLD ME TO GET CLRNC FROM ZLA. NEAR GORMAN VOR; MY FUEL WAS SHOWING 1/8 TANK WHICH IS 1/2 HR FLYING. I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE. I WANTED TO REMAIN AT 9500 FT (ON TOP); BUT CTR GAVE ME 10000 FT AND A DIFFERENT RTE; LAKE HUGHES V285 DARTS. I HAD CONFUSION WITH THIS AS I DIDN'T KNOW THAT AREA AND WAS SINGLE PLT. WE GOT IT RESOLVED AND I TURNED TO PICK UP THE RTE. ABOUT 10 MINS S OF THE VOR (AND NOW AT 6000 FT); ATC SAYS THEY WANT TO RTE ME TO SANTA MONICA. I TELL THEM I'M LOW ON FUEL (NOW AT ALMOST EMPTY) AND DON'T WANT TO GO BACK AROUND THE TCA (AS I WOULD HAVE GONE IF I'D COME IN VFR). I LATER SAW THIS WAS NOT SUCH A DISTANCE; BUT WAS NOW CONCERNED ABOUT THE EMPTY FUEL READING. RATHER THAN GO TO SMO; I CANCELED AND DSNDED RAPIDLY TO GO UNDER THE TCA AT 1800 FT. ATC SAID OK AND I DIDN'T CHK; SO I THEN DSNDED THROUGH THE BURBANK CLASS C. I FLEW THE LA RIVER AT 1500 FT AND HEADED OVER TO MY DEST (COMPTON). THERE WAS LITTLE LIGHT NOW. CLOUDS WERE SCATTERED TO BROKEN (THIN) AT 1000 FT. I MISSED THE FIELD AND WAS REALLY GETTING RATTLED. AFTER A FEW CIRCLES (NOW ON EMPTY FOR 10 MINS) I ORIENTED MYSELF WITH THE VOR/CDI AND LANDED SAFELY. DRAINED FUEL THE NEXT DAY AND REALLY HAD ANOTHER 20 MINS OF FUEL. THE 'EMPTY' READING ON THE GAUGE GOT TO ME.