Narrative:

We were en route from new orleans lakefront airport to brooksville near tampa, as the second leg of our flight from santa flight engineer to visit my wife's parents. I was flying VFR at 3500 ft. Variable to 5000 ft ceilings and rain made the selection of 3500 ft appropriate. I was busy flying the airplane. My engine quit. I immediately looked for an appropriate landing place, followed by trying to restart the engine. I received vectors from ATC to the crystal river airport, but I was too low to proceed much further. I landed on a major divided 4 lane highway with little traffic and none close. Upon discovering the problem (fuel exhaustion in the right tank), I checked remaining fuel (near full left tank). I started the engine and it ran normally. Since there was no traffic in the opposite lane visible in either direction (less than 1 mi), I took off again. As soon as I reached about 2500 ft, I re- established contact with ATC and then proceeded to brooksville without further incident. I am very interested in being a safe pilot. This occurrence definitely taught me an important lesson in safety. I have reviewed my safety procedures, and found some problems. I have an emergency checklist that includes checking gas levels and switching tanks. I didn't use it. That would have fixed the problem in seconds. I have revised that list and have instituted a new procedure. I open the checklists to that page just before takeoff and post them near my left hand. The long term answer, seems to me, is more emergency practice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA RUNS 1 FUEL TANK DRY, MAKES FORCED LNDG ON A HWY. AFTER SWITCHING TANKS, HE TAKES OFF AND CONTINUES ON HIS TRIP.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE FROM NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT ARPT TO BROOKSVILLE NEAR TAMPA, AS THE SECOND LEG OF OUR FLT FROM SANTA FE TO VISIT MY WIFE'S PARENTS. I WAS FLYING VFR AT 3500 FT. VARIABLE TO 5000 FT CEILINGS AND RAIN MADE THE SELECTION OF 3500 FT APPROPRIATE. I WAS BUSY FLYING THE AIRPLANE. MY ENG QUIT. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED FOR AN APPROPRIATE LNDG PLACE, FOLLOWED BY TRYING TO RESTART THE ENG. I RECEIVED VECTORS FROM ATC TO THE CRYSTAL RIVER ARPT, BUT I WAS TOO LOW TO PROCEED MUCH FURTHER. I LANDED ON A MAJOR DIVIDED 4 LANE HWY WITH LITTLE TFC AND NONE CLOSE. UPON DISCOVERING THE PROB (FUEL EXHAUSTION IN THE R TANK), I CHKED REMAINING FUEL (NEAR FULL L TANK). I STARTED THE ENG AND IT RAN NORMALLY. SINCE THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE OPPOSITE LANE VISIBLE IN EITHER DIRECTION (LESS THAN 1 MI), I TOOK OFF AGAIN. AS SOON AS I REACHED ABOUT 2500 FT, I RE- ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH ATC AND THEN PROCEEDED TO BROOKSVILLE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I AM VERY INTERESTED IN BEING A SAFE PLT. THIS OCCURRENCE DEFINITELY TAUGHT ME AN IMPORTANT LESSON IN SAFETY. I HAVE REVIEWED MY SAFETY PROCS, AND FOUND SOME PROBS. I HAVE AN EMER CHKLIST THAT INCLUDES CHKING GAS LEVELS AND SWITCHING TANKS. I DIDN'T USE IT. THAT WOULD HAVE FIXED THE PROB IN SECONDS. I HAVE REVISED THAT LIST AND HAVE INSTITUTED A NEW PROC. I OPEN THE CHKLISTS TO THAT PAGE JUST BEFORE TKOF AND POST THEM NEAR MY L HAND. THE LONG TERM ANSWER, SEEMS TO ME, IS MORE EMER PRACTICE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.