Narrative:

The problem arose on my flight to ZZZ about halfway through when I failed to completely lock my spring loaded fuel valves on my light twin; while switching to my other fuel tanks. I discovered the problem in my descent 30 mins later; when both engines started surging. I quickly ran through my emergency checklist when I realized my fuel valves had not been properly switched (visually). The engine surges were due to fuel starvation. Since the landing gear and flaps are hydraulically pwred by the left engine; I opted to make a precautionary landing on a dirt road; rather than; at my low altitude; taking the required both hands off the controls to re-switch the fuel valves. I didn't want to lean down; depress the spring with my left hand; then push the spring-loaded fuel valve with my right hand back; all while the plane is flying itself and possibly about to have a dual engine failure. My airplane has no autoplt. After landing I switched the tanks; sumped the fuel; did a 15 min power run on the engines; and inspected the tanks. After the city road officials showed up; we measured and inspected the road for the takeoff. They then blocked off the road while I departed on to ZZZ. I could have prevented this by properly securing my fuel valves and double-checking them earlier in the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMPROPERLY OPERATED FUEL SELECTOR VALVE RESULTS IN FUEL STARVATION TO BOTH ENGINES ON LIGHT TWIN. PRECAUTIONARY LNDG MADE ON ROAD. FUEL VALVES CYCLED; ENGINES TEST RUN AND TKOF MADE FOR ORIGINAL DESTINATION WHILE ROAD IS CLOSED BY LEOS.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE ON MY FLT TO ZZZ ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH WHEN I FAILED TO COMPLETELY LOCK MY SPRING LOADED FUEL VALVES ON MY LIGHT TWIN; WHILE SWITCHING TO MY OTHER FUEL TANKS. I DISCOVERED THE PROB IN MY DSCNT 30 MINS LATER; WHEN BOTH ENGS STARTED SURGING. I QUICKLY RAN THROUGH MY EMER CHKLIST WHEN I REALIZED MY FUEL VALVES HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY SWITCHED (VISUALLY). THE ENG SURGES WERE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. SINCE THE LNDG GEAR AND FLAPS ARE HYDRAULICALLY PWRED BY THE L ENG; I OPTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG ON A DIRT ROAD; RATHER THAN; AT MY LOW ALT; TAKING THE REQUIRED BOTH HANDS OFF THE CTLS TO RE-SWITCH THE FUEL VALVES. I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAN DOWN; DEPRESS THE SPRING WITH MY L HAND; THEN PUSH THE SPRING-LOADED FUEL VALVE WITH MY R HAND BACK; ALL WHILE THE PLANE IS FLYING ITSELF AND POSSIBLY ABOUT TO HAVE A DUAL ENG FAILURE. MY AIRPLANE HAS NO AUTOPLT. AFTER LNDG I SWITCHED THE TANKS; SUMPED THE FUEL; DID A 15 MIN PWR RUN ON THE ENGS; AND INSPECTED THE TANKS. AFTER THE CITY ROAD OFFICIALS SHOWED UP; WE MEASURED AND INSPECTED THE ROAD FOR THE TKOF. THEY THEN BLOCKED OFF THE ROAD WHILE I DEPARTED ON TO ZZZ. I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS BY PROPERLY SECURING MY FUEL VALVES AND DOUBLE-CHKING THEM EARLIER IN THE FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.