C120 PLT FLIES TO FUEL STARVATION IN THE TFC PATTERN AT 61B AND LANDS OFF FIELD.

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ON THE MORNING OF JAN/XA/00; MY FRIEND AND I AGREED TO GO FLY IN HIS C120. I HAVE ABOUT 100 HRS TAILWHEEL EXPERIENCE; BUT NOT MUCH TIME IN THIS TYPE AND I WAS ANXIOUS TO GET MORE EXPERIENCE IN IT. BECAUSE OF WT CONSIDERATIONS WE FILLED THE R TANK TO THE TOP AND LEFT A BIT OVER A 1/3 IN THE OTHER TANK. OUR TRIP WAS PLEASANT AND UNEVENTFUL. WE DID 2 OR 3 TOUCH-AND-GOES WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE HOME FIELD. AFTER THE LAST LNDG; WE TAXIED TO THE RAMP. MY FRIEND GOT OUT AND TOLD ME TO TAKE IT AROUND A FEW TIMES. I WAS DELIGHTED AT THE OPPORTUNITY AND TAXIED BACK TO THE ACTIVE RWY. I DID 5 OR 6 LNDGS; ALWAYS WITH COMPANY IN THE PATTERN; BUT WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH MY WORK. I WAS DETERMINED TO DO 3 GOOD ONES THEN COME BACK IN. WHEN I WAS ALMOST AT PATTERN ALT ON THE LATEST CLBOUT I NOTICED THE GAUGE READ 1/4 OR LESS. STARTLED; I LEVELED OFF AND SWITCHED TANKS; NOTING THAT THE APCH END OF RWY 33 WAS JUST BELOW ME. THE GAUGE READ OVER 1/3. I WAS RELIEVED AND CONTINUED MY PATTERN. AS I CLBED OUT ON UPWIND FROM THE NEXT TOUCHDOWN THE ENG BEGAN TO STUMBLE. I WAS NO MORE THAN 400 FT OFF THE GND; IF THAT MUCH; AND AS THE AIRPLANE STARTED DOWN I CHKED THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE WERE FULL IN WHILE I LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND. THE WIRES AHEAD OF ME SEEMED TOO CLOSE TO RISK SO I MADE A L TURN TOWARD AN OPEN AREA THAT SEEMED FLAT. I TRIED TO GLIDE AS WELL AS POSSIBLE . ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOUCHDOWN I WAS THROWN FORWARD. THE NEXT MOMENT I WAS UPSIDE DOWN. I UNBUCKLED THE SEATBELT AND CRAWLED OUTSIDE; THEN REACHED IN AND TURNED OFF THE MAGNETOS AND MASTER SWITCH. FORTUNATELY; I WAS UNHURT. THE ACFT IS AT THIS WRITING EXPECTED TO BE REPAIRABLE. MY MIND SET WAS WRONG FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN I TOOK OFF SOLO. FIRST; BECAUSE I FLY GLIDERS ALMOST EVERY DAY; I AM USED TO THE SENSATION OF AN ACFT THAT STAYS ALOFT EASILY WITHOUT PWR AND I THINK I HAVE DEVELOPED AN UNHEALTHY FEARLESSNESS OF UNPWRED FLT THAT IS SUBCONSCIOUS. THAT IS NOT A GOOD ATTITUDE TO OPERATE FROM WHEY FLYING PWR PLANES. SECOND; ALL MY PWR TIME IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS HAS BEEN IN LARGER AIRPLANES WITH LARGE FUEL TANKS. I NOW REALIZE THAT THE DIFFERENCE BTWN 1/3 AND THE 1/4 FULL IN THE C120 IS JUST 1 GALLON; OR 10 MINS OF FUEL. OBVIOUSLY THAT IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO MAKE ME WANT TO HEAD FOR HOME WHEN I'M NEAR 1/3 ON MY FULLEST TANK. THE THIRD AND PERHAPS WORSE PROB WAS MY DETERMINATION TO SUCCEED ON MY GOAL OF 'PERFECT LNDGS' WITHOUT REGARD TO OTHER FACTORS. IN THE FUTURE I WILL KNOW MY ACFT AND BRING INTO SHARP FOCUS THE PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS WHICH IT PRESENTS TO ME. I WILL NOT ALLOW MY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TO BE DISTR BY MY PERSONAL EXPECTATIONS AND GOALS FOR A GIVEN FLT OP. AND I WILL UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BTWN A PWR PLANE AND A GLIDER.