PA28 PLT RUNS OUT OF GAS AND LANDS SHORT OF RWY.

Narrative

THE FLT WAS COMPLETED IN 4.3 HRS. AFTER LNDG; THE ACFT WAS REFUELED; TAKING 44 GALLONS OF FUEL. IN PREPARATION FOR THE RETURN FLT; I FILED A VFR FLT PLAN AND RECEIVED A WX BRIEF. THE WX WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT FROM THAT DURING THE FLT INBOUND. I THEN FLEW THE ACFT SOLO WITH A DEST OF MCKINNEY; TX; WHERE I WAS TO MEET THE INSTRUCTOR WHO HAD FLOWN THERE IN ANOTHER ACFT. AFTER FLYING FOR 4.6 HRS; I WAS ABOUT 4 MI ON FINAL TO TKI WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND THEN STOPPED. I TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP; ADJUSTED THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH; AND SWITCHED TO THE L TANK. THE ENG RESTARTED AND I DECIDED TO TRY TO CLB TO GAIN SOME ADDITIONAL ALT. AFTER APPROX 1 MIN; THE ENG AGAIN STOPPED RUNNING. I SET THE ACFT UP FOR BEST GLIDE SPD AND SWITCHED TANKS AGAIN. THE ENG WOULD NOT RESTART. I INFORMED THE TWR THAT THE ENG HAD STOPPED. THE TWR CLRED ME TO LAND. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED THAT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE RWY. I DECIDED TO MAKE A LNDG IN A FIELD ABOUT 1/4 MI FROM THE END OF THE RWY. THE OFF-ARPT LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT ANY INJURY TO ME OR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. BELOW ARE SEVERAL FACTORS WHICH I BELIEVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT: 1) DURING THE FLT; I WAS VECTORED BY ATC AROUND THE MEMPHIS ARPT. THIS ADDED SEVERAL MINS AND DISTANCE TO THE RETURN. 2) THE WINDS ENRTE MAY HAVE BEEN STRONGER THAN FORECAST. 3) I MAY NOT HAVE LEANED THE MIXTURE AS MUCH AS THE INSTRUCTOR DID ON THE OUTBOUND FLT; INCREASING THE FUEL BURN. 4) I HAD ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT THE ACFT USED FUEL AT A RATE (9.5 GPH) THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR 5 HRS OF FLT. 5) ALTHOUGH MY PLANNING INDICATED THE FLT WOULD TAKE 4.2 HRS AND 41 GALLONS; I SHOULD HAVE MADE A FUEL STOP ALONG THE RTE.