AN SMA PLT RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN HE NEGLECTED TO REFUEL OR USE A DIPSTICK TO CHK THE FUEL IN THE TANKS.

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ACFT RAN LOW OR OUT OF FUEL AND I WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN OFF FIELD LNDG. THE LNDG WAS MADE IN A FIELD AREA WITH USE OF A NARROW DIRT ROAD. NO APPARENT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO ACFT. 3 FACTORS LED TO THIS CONDITION. ACFT WAS NOT TOPPED OFF AFTER A .9 HR PREVIOUS FLT AND I DIDN'T NOTICE IT WASN'T FULL WHEN I CHKED FUEL LEVEL AT THE WING. (I SHOULD HAVE USED A DIPSTICK RATHER THEN RELY ON A VISUAL.) THE FUEL GAUGE ON THE L TANK READ 1/4 WHEN GAS WAS ACTUALLY EMPTY. AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE DURING FLT I RAN R TANK FOR 1 HR THEN SWITCHED TO BOTH EXPECTING AT LEAST 1 FURTHER HR OF OP. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED 50 MINS AFTER SWITCHING; INDICATING A POSSIBLE FLOW BY OF THE TANK SWITCH VALVE. FAA WAS NOTIFIED AND PERMISSION TO TKOF AFTER FUELING; PERMISSION FROM PROPERTY OWNER AND AN INSPECTION BY A QUALIFIED MECH WAS GRANTED. WX CONDITIONS EXTENDED THE LENGTH OF THIS FLT BY APPROX 1/2 HR. AS PLT OF THIS FLT I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INCIDENT AND WILL CERTAINLY LEAVE MYSELF MORE ROOM FOR MARGIN OF ERROR IN THE FUTURE. ONCE THE PROB OCCURRED I FEEL THAT MY ACTIONS IN THIS LNDG WERE APPROPRIATE AND FEEL FORTUNATE THAT I'VE HAD EXPERT INSTRUCTION OVER THE YRS TO FACILITATE THIS TYPE LNDG. THE OWNERS ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING THIS ACFT FOR AIRWORHTINESS AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL BE SURE OF IT BEFORE FURTHER FLT.