PLT OF A BELLANCA 8KCAB; DECATHLON; RAN OUT OF FUEL DURING RETURN FLT TO HOME BASE AND HAD TO LAND SHORT IN AN ALFALFA FIELD.

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DURING A RETURN FLT TO MY HOME BASE; ENW; THE ENG COULD NOT MAINTAIN ADEQUATE PWR TO MAINTAIN ALT; REQUIRING A LDNG IN AN ALFALFA FIELD. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THE FUEL TANKS WERE NEARLY EMPTY. I HAD MY MECH INSPECT THE ACFT; DETERMINE IT TO BE AIRWORTHY; OBTAINED AVIATION FUEL; DID A GND PWR CHK; AND FLEW IT FROM THE FIELD. PRIOR TO THE INITIAL TKOF; I COMPLETED A PREFLT AND TWICE OBSERVED THE FUEL GAUGE TO INDICATE NEARLY FULL TANKS. THE FUEL GAUGE ON MY 1975 BELLANCA 8KCAB IS A ROTATING DRUM TYPE GAUGE LOCATED IN A DIMLY LIT AND RECESSED AREA OF THE R WING ROOT. THIS GAUGE CAN BE CONFUSING TO READ DUE TO THE POS OF THE GROMMETS AND MARKINGS. WHEN THE TANKS ARE NEARLY FULL; OR NEARLY EMPTY; THE GAUGE APPEARS TO READ THE SAME AND THE INDICATORS CAN BE OBSCURED. THE GAUGES ON THE NEWER AMERICAN CHAMPION DECATHLONS (8KCAB) HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH DIAL TYPE FUEL GAUGES THAT ARE MORE EASILY READ. FOR ANY ACFT WITH THIS TYPE OF FUEL GAUGE; I WOULD RECOMMEND USING A FLASHLIGHT -- EVEN IN BRIGHT LIGHT -- TO BE SURE OF AN ACCURATE READING. BETTER YET; WOULD BE TO ALWAYS PUT A STICK TO THE TANKS TO VERIFY FUEL PRESENCE.