Narrative:

I had not flown my plane for 3 weeks. I had an important trip and wanted to make sure the plane was operating well. My intent was a short IFR flight to bfl, land, and a short IFR return to vny. On unlocking the plane, my first action was to check fuel. The right and left mains showed 20 gallons each. I pressed the switch on the fuel gauge to see what was in the auxiliary tanks. They also read about 20 gallons each. With a total of 80 gallons, the IFR flight to bfl and back was in the margin of fuel requirements. I took off, flew uneventfully to bfl, all the time on the main tanks. Upon landing, I requested taxi back and an IFR clearance back to vny. I took off on the mains and flew approximately to lhs before switching over to the auxiliary tanks. Upon switching to the auxs, the fuel gauges read near zero. At this point it became clear that the panel switch which allows you to read the auxiliary level was defective. With too little fuel, I got both auxs dry, switched back to mains. I had 30 mi to go, with 5 gallons in the left and very little in the right. At about 20 mi out, the right engine quit due to fuel starvation. I secured the engine, informed the approach ATC and subsequently the tower, that I was landing on 1 engine. Single engine landing was done correctly without incident. Lesson: 1) visually check the tanks. Had I done this the problem would have been apparent. 2) service the fuel gauge switch so it works properly. This has been completed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C310 PLT LOSES ENG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION IN LAX AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I HAD NOT FLOWN MY PLANE FOR 3 WKS. I HAD AN IMPORTANT TRIP AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE PLANE WAS OPERATING WELL. MY INTENT WAS A SHORT IFR FLT TO BFL, LAND, AND A SHORT IFR RETURN TO VNY. ON UNLOCKING THE PLANE, MY FIRST ACTION WAS TO CHK FUEL. THE R AND L MAINS SHOWED 20 GALLONS EACH. I PRESSED THE SWITCH ON THE FUEL GAUGE TO SEE WHAT WAS IN THE AUX TANKS. THEY ALSO READ ABOUT 20 GALLONS EACH. WITH A TOTAL OF 80 GALLONS, THE IFR FLT TO BFL AND BACK WAS IN THE MARGIN OF FUEL REQUIREMENTS. I TOOK OFF, FLEW UNEVENTFULLY TO BFL, ALL THE TIME ON THE MAIN TANKS. UPON LNDG, I REQUESTED TAXI BACK AND AN IFR CLRNC BACK TO VNY. I TOOK OFF ON THE MAINS AND FLEW APPROX TO LHS BEFORE SWITCHING OVER TO THE AUX TANKS. UPON SWITCHING TO THE AUXS, THE FUEL GAUGES READ NEAR ZERO. AT THIS POINT IT BECAME CLR THAT THE PANEL SWITCH WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO READ THE AUX LEVEL WAS DEFECTIVE. WITH TOO LITTLE FUEL, I GOT BOTH AUXS DRY, SWITCHED BACK TO MAINS. I HAD 30 MI TO GO, WITH 5 GALLONS IN THE L AND VERY LITTLE IN THE R. AT ABOUT 20 MI OUT, THE R ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. I SECURED THE ENG, INFORMED THE APCH ATC AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE TWR, THAT I WAS LNDG ON 1 ENG. SINGLE ENG LNDG WAS DONE CORRECTLY WITHOUT INCIDENT. LESSON: 1) VISUALLY CHK THE TANKS. HAD I DONE THIS THE PROB WOULD HAVE BEEN APPARENT. 2) SVC THE FUEL GAUGE SWITCH SO IT WORKS PROPERLY. THIS HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

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.