Narrative:

Upon leveling off from my descent of 7000 ft MSL to 3000 ft MSL, I held 3000 ft for about 5 mi. The right engine then surged twice and quit all together. I went through my restart procedures, but nothing seemed to get the engine back. Then the left engine began to act up, yet continued to run. The outboard and inboard writing was worn to where you could barely read them, however, the words 'main' were clearly visible. When I looked down, I saw that the tanks were on the main position and having been topped off and only flying for approximately 1 1/2 hours, I knew I had more than enough fuel to reach monroe, only 10 mi ahead. The solution was simple in retrospect, 'move the fuel levers!' from this position or phase of flight, I then landed on a small golf course outside of monroe. 2 things to do to avoid this in the future would be to: re-familiarize yourself with the aircraft you are flying and know how the system operates backwards and forwards. The obvious may not be as obvious as one may seem to think. To eliminate some degree of confusion on the fuel system, simply mark the fuel selectors as inboard and outboard instead of mains. When looking down it is hard to see the words inboard and outboard when they are worn you can only see main. Make inboard and outboard bigger. Be better prepared and not in such a hurry to jump in the aircraft. I hope this incident will not be repeated in the future because of what I have told you. I am just sorry a difficult situation could have been avoided through just plain common sense.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN -- OFF ARPT LNDG -- PLT MISMANAGES FUEL SELECTOR SHUTTING DOWN BOTH ENGS.

Narrative: UPON LEVELING OFF FROM MY DSCNT OF 7000 FT MSL TO 3000 FT MSL, I HELD 3000 FT FOR ABOUT 5 MI. THE R ENG THEN SURGED TWICE AND QUIT ALL TOGETHER. I WENT THROUGH MY RESTART PROCS, BUT NOTHING SEEMED TO GET THE ENG BACK. THEN THE L ENG BEGAN TO ACT UP, YET CONTINUED TO RUN. THE OUTBOARD AND INBOARD WRITING WAS WORN TO WHERE YOU COULD BARELY READ THEM, HOWEVER, THE WORDS 'MAIN' WERE CLRLY VISIBLE. WHEN I LOOKED DOWN, I SAW THAT THE TANKS WERE ON THE MAIN POS AND HAVING BEEN TOPPED OFF AND ONLY FLYING FOR APPROX 1 1/2 HRS, I KNEW I HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH FUEL TO REACH MONROE, ONLY 10 MI AHEAD. THE SOLUTION WAS SIMPLE IN RETROSPECT, 'MOVE THE FUEL LEVERS!' FROM THIS POS OR PHASE OF FLT, I THEN LANDED ON A SMALL GOLF COURSE OUTSIDE OF MONROE. 2 THINGS TO DO TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE WOULD BE TO: RE-FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE ACFT YOU ARE FLYING AND KNOW HOW THE SYS OPERATES BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS. THE OBVIOUS MAY NOT BE AS OBVIOUS AS ONE MAY SEEM TO THINK. TO ELIMINATE SOME DEGREE OF CONFUSION ON THE FUEL SYS, SIMPLY MARK THE FUEL SELECTORS AS INBOARD AND OUTBOARD INSTEAD OF MAINS. WHEN LOOKING DOWN IT IS HARD TO SEE THE WORDS INBOARD AND OUTBOARD WHEN THEY ARE WORN YOU CAN ONLY SEE MAIN. MAKE INBOARD AND OUTBOARD BIGGER. BE BETTER PREPARED AND NOT IN SUCH A HURRY TO JUMP IN THE ACFT. I HOPE THIS INCIDENT WILL NOT BE REPEATED IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF WHAT I HAVE TOLD YOU. I AM JUST SORRY A DIFFICULT SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED THROUGH JUST PLAIN COMMON SENSE.

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.