BE10 pilot diverts and makes a single engine landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	618139
Time
Date	200405
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sgf.vortac
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	King Air 100 A/B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 16284 flight time type : 1079
ASRS Report	618139
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I left fuel order with FBO for 'top tips (mains) and 10 gals in each auxiliary tank.' the FBO informed me at that time, that the aircraft was fueled and ready to go. I arrived at the airport approximately 30 mins before scheduled departure time. I loaded my baggage on the aircraft, then went to the cockpit, turned on the battery switch, checked the battery voltage and fuel quantity. I then moved my left hand to the fuel panel and pulled down on the spring loaded 'fuel quantity' mains to the auxiliary quantity. There was an indication of fuel in each auxiliary so I released the switch and as it returned to mains I turned the battery switch off and proceeded to complete the remainder of preflight. Takeoff was normal, boost pumps 'on' for takeoff after gear retract and climb established. Boost pumps (auxiliary/main) were left on until any tanks were empty (amber empty light). Then auxiliary and main pumps were turned 'off.' this was performed at about time I leveled at FL180. We had a smooth flight until we reached springfield, mo, area. In all this time I don't recall checking fuel quantity. (I had ordered 388 gals in mains and 20 gals for auxiliary.) a total of 408 gals equals approximately 4 hours 45 mins flight and duats flight planner had indicated a 3 hours 18 mins flight (no wind conditions). At approximately 30 mi out I suddenly noticed the fuel indication of almost zero. I was so stunned I first thought it was an indication but found no circuit breaker 'popped.' at about this time I noticed a change in engine sound. The right engine then began to surge. I immediately told the passenger to vacate the cockpit and go to the cabin and everyone buckle up. I proceeded to check and then it became evident I had to shut down and feather the right engine. I informed center I needed a suitable airport now as I wasn't sure what was happening. I was given ZZZ. I planned my approach as if I could lose the left engine at any time. It operated to a normal (1 engine) landing, taxied under power to the ramp where I shut it down. I cannot begin to understand how this chain of events began. I have never missed a fuel load check. I called the FBO and inquired if he knew how much fuel was added to the aircraft. The weekend person had only put a total of 40 gals on the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE10 PLT DIVERTS AND MAKES A SINGLE ENG LNDG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: I LEFT FUEL ORDER WITH FBO FOR 'TOP TIPS (MAINS) AND 10 GALS IN EACH AUX TANK.' THE FBO INFORMED ME AT THAT TIME, THAT THE ACFT WAS FUELED AND READY TO GO. I ARRIVED AT THE ARPT APPROX 30 MINS BEFORE SCHEDULED DEP TIME. I LOADED MY BAGGAGE ON THE ACFT, THEN WENT TO THE COCKPIT, TURNED ON THE BATTERY SWITCH, CHKED THE BATTERY VOLTAGE AND FUEL QUANTITY. I THEN MOVED MY L HAND TO THE FUEL PANEL AND PULLED DOWN ON THE SPRING LOADED 'FUEL QUANTITY' MAINS TO THE AUX QUANTITY. THERE WAS AN INDICATION OF FUEL IN EACH AUX SO I RELEASED THE SWITCH AND AS IT RETURNED TO MAINS I TURNED THE BATTERY SWITCH OFF AND PROCEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REMAINDER OF PREFLT. TKOF WAS NORMAL, BOOST PUMPS 'ON' FOR TKOF AFTER GEAR RETRACT AND CLB ESTABLISHED. BOOST PUMPS (AUX/MAIN) WERE LEFT ON UNTIL ANY TANKS WERE EMPTY (AMBER EMPTY LIGHT). THEN AUX AND MAIN PUMPS WERE TURNED 'OFF.' THIS WAS PERFORMED AT ABOUT TIME I LEVELED AT FL180. WE HAD A SMOOTH FLT UNTIL WE REACHED SPRINGFIELD, MO, AREA. IN ALL THIS TIME I DON'T RECALL CHKING FUEL QUANTITY. (I HAD ORDERED 388 GALS IN MAINS AND 20 GALS FOR AUX.) A TOTAL OF 408 GALS EQUALS APPROX 4 HRS 45 MINS FLT AND DUATS FLT PLANNER HAD INDICATED A 3 HRS 18 MINS FLT (NO WIND CONDITIONS). AT APPROX 30 MI OUT I SUDDENLY NOTICED THE FUEL INDICATION OF ALMOST ZERO. I WAS SO STUNNED I FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS AN INDICATION BUT FOUND NO CIRCUIT BREAKER 'POPPED.' AT ABOUT THIS TIME I NOTICED A CHANGE IN ENG SOUND. THE R ENG THEN BEGAN TO SURGE. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE PAX TO VACATE THE COCKPIT AND GO TO THE CABIN AND EVERYONE BUCKLE UP. I PROCEEDED TO CHK AND THEN IT BECAME EVIDENT I HAD TO SHUT DOWN AND FEATHER THE R ENG. I INFORMED CTR I NEEDED A SUITABLE ARPT NOW AS I WASN'T SURE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I WAS GIVEN ZZZ. I PLANNED MY APCH AS IF I COULD LOSE THE L ENG AT ANY TIME. IT OPERATED TO A NORMAL (1 ENG) LNDG, TAXIED UNDER PWR TO THE RAMP WHERE I SHUT IT DOWN. I CANNOT BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CHAIN OF EVENTS BEGAN. I HAVE NEVER MISSED A FUEL LOAD CHK. I CALLED THE FBO AND INQUIRED IF HE KNEW HOW MUCH FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE ACFT. THE WEEKEND PERSON HAD ONLY PUT A TOTAL OF 40 GALS ON THE ACFT.

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.