C152 EXPERIENCES LOSS OF POWER AND LANDS ON ROAD SHORT OF DESTINATION.

Narrative

I PREFLTED MY C152 JUST AS THE PREFLT CHKLIST STATES. AFTER TOPPING OFF BOTH L AND R TANKS; I TOOK A FUEL SAMPLE FROM THE R TANK. IN THAT FUEL SAMPLE; I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SLIGHT TRACE OF WATER. AFTER DISPOSING OF THAT FUEL SAMPLE; I TOOK 2 ADDITIONAL FUEL SAMPLES FROM THE R TANK; FINDING THAT THE FUEL WAS CLR AND BRIGHT; AND FREE OF WATER. THE PREFLT ON THE REST OF THE ACFT WAS SATISFACTORY. I FILED A VFR FLT PLAN AND I DEPARTED WITH MYSELF AND A PAX. I DEPARTED WITH 4 HRS AND 20 MINS; OR 26 GALS (24.5 GALS USEABLE) OF FUEL ON BOARD. I CALCULATED THAT THE FLT WOULD TAKE 2 HRS AND 50 MINS OF FLT TIME; OR 18 GALS OF FUEL BEING USED DURING THE FLT. THIS WOULD BE ENOUGH FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLT; AND STILL HAVE THE REQUIRED 45 MIN RESERVE REMAINING. AT APPROX 2 HRS 50 MINS INTO THE FLT; I WAS ABOUT 11 MI SE OF ZZZ DSNDING; AND ADJUSTING MY MIXTURE FOR THE DSCNT. WHEN I WAS PASSING THROUGH 4800 FT MSL MY ENG LOST PWR; AND THE ENG WAS SPUTTERING ON AND OFF. I COMPLETED MY EMER CHKLIST; WHICH INCLUDED CHKING THE MAGNETOS; THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO BE ON; CARB HEAT ON; MIXTURE RICH; AND THROTTLE. THEN I LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO PUT THE AIRPLANE DOWN ON. I HAD ZZZ TWR ON THE RADIO; SO I CALLED THE TWR UP AND DECLARED AN EMER. TWR CLRED ME TO LAND ON RWY 24; BUT I REALIZED THAT I WASN'T GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE ARPT. I FOUND A ROAD THAT I FELT WAS A GOOD PLACE TO PUT THE AIRPLANE DOWN. WITH THE LNDG SPOT IN SIGHT; I SET MYSELF UP ON A L DOWNWIND. AFTER TURNING ONTO THE FINAL LEG FOR THE ROAD; I SAW THAT THERE WAS A PALM TREE IN THE MEDIAN; BUT THE ROAD WAS CLR BEYOND THAT POINT; SO I EXTENDED MY LNDG POINT BY A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET IN ORDER TO MISS THE PALM TREE. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN AT NORMAL TOUCHDOWN SPD; AND I STARTED TO FLASH MY LNDG/TAXI LIGHTS AT A CAR AHEAD OF ME IN HOPE THAT IT WOULD CLR THE ROAD AHEAD. AFTER COMING TO A STOP; I GOT OUT AND MOVED THE PLANE OFF THE ROAD; AND PARKED IT IN A PARKING LOT SO THAT TFC WASN'T BLOCKED UP. THE AIRPLANE WAS PERFECTLY FINE; AND NEITHER I NOR MY PAX WAS INJURED. AT THIS POINT I CONTACTED THE POLICE. IN ORDER TO GET THE ACFT OFF OF ROAD; THE WINGS WERE NEEDED TO BE REMOVED. WHEN THE A&P REMOVED THE WINGS; HE FOUND THAT THERE WAS 6 GALS OF FUEL REMAINING. AFTER TAKING OUT THE UNUSEABLE AMOUNT; WE HAD 4.5 GALS OF FUEL LEFT. I FEEL THAT THERE WAS A FUEL STARVATION PROB; EVEN THOUGH I SHOULD HAVE HAD AN HR WORTH OF FUEL LEFT.