PLT OF A CESSNA 152 RPTS EXCEEDING AN INSPECTION TIME LIMIT DURING A PLEASURE XCOUNTRY FLT THAT HAD BEEN PLANNED TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE INSPECTION TIME LIMITS.

Narrative

I HAD NOT BEEN FLYING FOR ALMOST 3 YRS AND I CAME BACK TO THE UNITED STATES TO TAKE A BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW WITH A CERTIFIED FLT INSTRUCTOR; AND FLY MANY HRS FOR PLEASURE. I RENTED A CESSNA 152 WITH ONLY 3.3 HRS OF TACH TIME LEFT AND DECIDED TO PLAN A XCOUNTRY FROM PHF TO W45 LOCATED AT 140 NM TO THE NW. AFTER COMPUTING; I FOUND IH30 OF ETE TO MY DEST. AT ABOUT 3/4 OF MY WAY; MY ETE WAS ALREADY UP AND I KNEW I COULD NOT REACH MY DEST WITHOUT EXCEEDING THE TACH LIMIT. THEN I DECIDED TO LAND AT GVE WHICH WAS THE NEAREST ARPT. AFTER LNDG; I COULD NOT REFUEL BECAUSE THE FBO WAS CLOSED; SO I JUST CALLED THE FSS TO CLOSE MY FLT PLAN. I CHKED MY SECTIONAL TO FIND ONCE MORE THE NEAREST ARPT FROM GVE ON THE WAY BACK WITH A FUEL SVC PROVIDED. I TOOK OFF AND WENT TO LKU; 10 NM SE; BUT ONCE I GOT OVER THE ARPT; I SAW THE RWY WAS CLOSED WITH PEOPLE WORKING ON IT. I KEPT FLYING ON THE SAME HEADING TO REACH THE NEXT ARPT; 7W4; 10 NM SE; BUT A FEW MINS LATER I REALIZED THAT I COULD NOT GET FUEL THERE BECAUSE THIS ARPT DID NOT PROVIDE THIS SVC. THEN I BECAME CONCERNED WITH THE 2 HRS OF FLT TIME I HAD ON MY CLOCK. AFTER CHKING MY SECTIONAL; I SAW THAT THERE WERE NOT THAT MANY REFUELING POINTS IN THIS AREA AND I THOUGHT IT WAS SAFER FOR ME TO GO BACK TO CHO WHERE I WAS SURE I COULD REFUEL (REGARDLESS TO THE TACH TIME). ONCE I LANDED THERE; I HAD 6.9 GALS REMAINING IN THE TANKS WHICH MEANS THAT I COULD HAVE FLOWN ABOUT HALF AN HR REGARDING TO THE LAST 30 MINS OF VFR FUEL REQUIREMENT. BUT WHILE AIRBORNE; IT WAS SINCERELY HARD FOR ME TO CHK OUT PRECISELY HOW MUCH FUEL WAS REMAINING IN THE TANKS. BESIDES THAT; I HAD 1 HR LEFT IN THE TACH. BUT I DECIDED TO FLY BACK TO NEWPORT NEWS. IF I HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THIS DELAY; I WOULD HAVE NOT OVERTIMED THIS XCOUNTRY. BECAUSE I WAS NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE FAA REG CONCERNING THE ACFT'S INSPECTION DUE; I TOOK THE DECISION TO MAKE A NO STOP FLT TO NEWPORT NEWS AND I RAN 0.5 HR OVER THE TACH TIME LIMIT.