Narrative:

I was in level cruise flight in and out of cumulus clouds on an IFR flight plan. With absolutely no indications of any problem, the plane violently yawed to the right. At the same time, the propeller feathered and the 'fuel pressure' and 'oil pressure' lights illuminated. As the propeller windmilled, I used the checklist to attempt a windmilling restart. Having no success, I used the checklist to secure the engine. Before shutting down engine, when I first realized the problem, I notified ATC and advised my intentions of restart/diagnosis. As I secured the engine, I declared an emergency and was vectored to nearest (at my request) airport. ATC was extremely helpful and advised of airport direction every step of the way. As ATC was able to hear me, I talked to them until I made an uneventful landing. After declaring an emergency, I started a descent out of the clouds from 7500 ft MSL. I flew in and out of the clouds until approximately 3500 ft MSL when I was in VFR conditions with more than 10 mi visibility. When I departed, I had 750 pounds fuel/side. Several days prior to this flight, I commented to a fellow pilot about the fuel gauges, as they seemed to read in an erroneous manner before starting the aircraft. I was told that 'fuel starvation' shut down the engine. In the cockpit, the fuel gauges still both read 450 pounds/side. For many yrs, I've taught that the worst kind of fuel was the fuel still left in the filler truck. From now on, I will heed my own advice and never again depart without the fuel cells at least 1200 pounds/side.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE20 PLT MAKES AN EMER SINGLE ENG LNDG AT A DIVERT FIELD AFTER INFLT ENG FAILURE CAUSED BY FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: I WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE FLT IN AND OUT OF CUMULUS CLOUDS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. WITH ABSOLUTELY NO INDICATIONS OF ANY PROB, THE PLANE VIOLENTLY YAWED TO THE R. AT THE SAME TIME, THE PROP FEATHERED AND THE 'FUEL PRESSURE' AND 'OIL PRESSURE' LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. AS THE PROP WINDMILLED, I USED THE CHKLIST TO ATTEMPT A WINDMILLING RESTART. HAVING NO SUCCESS, I USED THE CHKLIST TO SECURE THE ENG. BEFORE SHUTTING DOWN ENG, WHEN I FIRST REALIZED THE PROB, I NOTIFIED ATC AND ADVISED MY INTENTIONS OF RESTART/DIAGNOSIS. AS I SECURED THE ENG, I DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS VECTORED TO NEAREST (AT MY REQUEST) ARPT. ATC WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND ADVISED OF ARPT DIRECTION EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. AS ATC WAS ABLE TO HEAR ME, I TALKED TO THEM UNTIL I MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. AFTER DECLARING AN EMER, I STARTED A DSCNT OUT OF THE CLOUDS FROM 7500 FT MSL. I FLEW IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS UNTIL APPROX 3500 FT MSL WHEN I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS WITH MORE THAN 10 MI VISIBILITY. WHEN I DEPARTED, I HAD 750 LBS FUEL/SIDE. SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO THIS FLT, I COMMENTED TO A FELLOW PLT ABOUT THE FUEL GAUGES, AS THEY SEEMED TO READ IN AN ERRONEOUS MANNER BEFORE STARTING THE ACFT. I WAS TOLD THAT 'FUEL STARVATION' SHUT DOWN THE ENG. IN THE COCKPIT, THE FUEL GAUGES STILL BOTH READ 450 LBS/SIDE. FOR MANY YRS, I'VE TAUGHT THAT THE WORST KIND OF FUEL WAS THE FUEL STILL LEFT IN THE FILLER TRUCK. FROM NOW ON, I WILL HEED MY OWN ADVICE AND NEVER AGAIN DEPART WITHOUT THE FUEL CELLS AT LEAST 1200 LBS/SIDE.

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.