A PVT INST RATED PLT FLYING AN M20F EXPERIENCES TOTAL FUEL EXHAUSTION ENRTE FROM AIY TO ZER AND MAKES AN EMER LNDG AT PHL.

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THE FLT DEPARTED AIY AT APPROX XA15 WITH UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. I ESTIMATED 2 HRS FUEL ON BOARD WITH INTENTIONS TO GO TO ZER DIRECT -- A 55 MIN FLT. BOTH FUEL GAUGES WERE INDICATING 1/2 AT DEP. I CONTACTED ATLANTIC CITY APCH FOR TA'S AND LEVELED OFF AT 6500 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; WE WERE GIVEN PHL APCH NUMBERS AND CONTACTED THEM. I REQUESTED PASSAGE THROUGH THEIR CLASS B AIRSPACE AT 6500 FT DIRECT ZER WITH TA'S. ONLY MINS AFTER THIS EXCHANGE; I NOTICED THE R FUEL GAUGE RAPIDLY MOVING TOWARD EMPTY. MY PLT/PAX AND I WERE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING UP THE NUMBERS OF PTW ARPT TO DIVERT FOR FUEL WHEN THE ENG QUIT. I SWITCHED TO THE L TANK AND RESTARTED THE ENG -- THE L ENG WAS INDICATING 1/2. WHILE TALKING TO APCH TO ADVISE OF OUR CHANGE TO PTW; THE ENG QUIT AGAIN. I NOTIFIED APCH OF THE ENG STOPPAGE; WAS HANDED OFF TO THE TWR; THEN CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 35; WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED DEAD STICK. A TOW MOTOR FROM FBO PULLED MY MOONEY FROM RWY 35 A SHORT DISTANCE TO THEIR RAMP. THE PLANE WAS KEPT THERE UNTIL APR/XA/99 SO THAT MAINT COULD CHK THE REASON FOR THE EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION. THEY FOUND NOTHING. IN MY DEFENSE; I HAVE BEEN FLYING 45 YRS AND HAVE NEVER RUN OUT OF FUEL. ALSO; WITH APPROX 1200 HRS IN MOONEYS; I NEVER SAW FUEL GAUGES MOVE TO EMPTY SO RAPIDLY. BOTH TANKS WERE AT OR ABOVE THE 25 GALLON TABS BEFORE DEP FROM ZER (VISUAL CHK). OUR TRIP WAS FROM ZER TO TGI. 1 HR 10 MINS; FROM TGI TO AIY 1 HR; AND FROM AIY TO PHL APPROX 25 MINS. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN 2 HRS 25 MINS OF FUEL ON BOARD AT THE TIME OF FUEL STARVATION.