AN SMA PLT PERFORMS AN OFF ARPT PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WHEN HE SUSPECTS THAT ALL IS NOT WELL IN THE FUEL QUANTITY DEPT. LANDS IN A PASTURE 5 MI FROM HIS DIVERSIONARY ARPT.

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AFTER ARRIVING AT CXO; I GAVE FBO INSTRUCTIONS TO FILL BOTH FUEL TANKS TO 1/2 INCH BELOW FILLER NECK. I RETURNED 4 DAYS LATER AT APPROX AB30 AM; TURNED IN RENTAL CAR AND CHKED WX; PREFLTED THE ACFT AND LOOKED IN BOTH FUEL TANKS. THE LEVEL SEEMED LOWER THAN I HAD REQUESTED BUT NOT SO LOW THAT I WAS SUSPICIOUS. I DEPARTED CXO; VFR TO M78 (MALVERN; AR; 274 NM); CLBED TO 5500 FT. AFTER PASSING SHV; I NOTICED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS MORE THAN NORMAL; BUT HOT AFTERNOON TURB HAD THE FUEL NEEDLES BOUNCING AROUND A LOT. THE R TANK RAN DRY SOON AFTER I CHANGED OVER TO IT. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZFW; VFR FLT FOLLOWING. I ADVISED THEM THAT I WAS GOING TO DIVERT TO MAGNOLIA; AR. I BEGAN DSNDING TO MAGNOLIA AND FT WORTH TERMINATED MY RADAR SVC. I DID NOT FEEL THAT GETTING TO MAGNOLIA WOULD BE A PROB; BUT AS I PROCEEDED; I BECAME CONCERNED THAT I MIGHT RUN OUT OF FUEL; SO I CHOSE A GOOD LOOKING PASTURE AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. NO DAMAGE. WIFE AND I WALKED TO FARM HOUSE; CALLED AGO FBO FOR FUEL. THEY BROUGHT 10 GALS TO ME. FARMER MOWED A STRIP FOR ME AND I TOOK OFF AND FLEW TO AGO (5 NM); LANDED AND FILLED UP. NO DAMAGE EXCEPT TO MY PRIDE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I HAVE A BILLING ACCOUNT AT CXO SO NO FUEL RECEIPT WAS GIVEN TO ME; AND MY VISUAL INSPECTION DID NOT CLUE ME IN TO THE FACT THAT I HAD NOT BEEN FUELED. I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED A FUEL RECEIPT. I SHOULD HAVE USED A MEASURING STICK IN THE TANKS.