C188 PILOT REPORTS ENGINE FAILURE AND OFF ARPT LANDING FROM 25 FEET AGL.

Narrative

I DEPARTED ON AN AERIAL SEEDING FLT TO TREAT SEVERAL FIELDS. THE FUEL HAD JUST BEEN TOPPED OFF. AT XA20; I FINISHED THE LAST FIELD AND NOTED THE TIME AND DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO THE ARPT ABOUT 10 MI TO THE W; BECAUSE I BELIEVE I HAD ABOUT 25 MINS OF FUEL LEFT -- THE GAUGE WAS SHOWING 1/8 OF A TANK. ABOUT 1 MI AWAY WAS ANOTHER FIELD THAT NEEDED THE ENDS TRIMMED; SO I DROPPED DOWN TO DO THAT AS I FLEW BACK TO THE ARPT. AS I WAS MAKING THE PASS; THE ENG QUIT. I IMMEDIATELY ADDED 1 NOTCH OF FLAPS WHILE TURNING 45 DEGS INTO THE WIND AND LANDED SAFELY IN A SOYBEAN FIELD. AFTER LNDG; THE FUEL GAUGE WAS STILL SHOWING 1/16 OF A TANK. THE PLANE WAS LATER TOWED OUT OF THE FIELD TO A GRAVEL ROAD; FUEL WAS ADDED; EVERYTHING CHKED OUT; AND WAS FLOWN BACK TO THE ARPT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING CLOSER ATTN TO THE TIME AND BEEN ON THE GND WITH A 30 MIN RESERVE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN TRUSTING A FUEL GAUGE. I SHOULD HAVE ACCURATELY FIGURED FUEL BURN. IT HAD A TOTAL ENDURANCE OF 1 HR 55 MINS INSTEAD OF THE 2 HRS 15 MINS I BELIEVED. I GOT LUCKY. NO INJURIES AND NO DAMAGE TO THE PLANE.