Pilot of a cessna 310 experienced both engine failures during cruise due to fuel starvation. Emergency was declared and ATC requested for a vector to the nearest airport. Both engines were restarted and the emergency canceled after fuel was redirected from the auxiliary to the main fuel tanks for the engines.

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Attributes
ACN	486492
Time
Date	200009
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 310/T310C
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 950 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	486492
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engines other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On a night VFR flight while fueling #1 and #2 engines from auxiliary fuel tanks, both engines died due to fuel starvation. I called ZHU, declared an emergency and asked for vectors to nearest airport. After losing 3000 ft, both engines were restarted and emergency canceled. Problem: fuel starvation. Cause: pilot inattention to auxiliary fuel levels and lack of a low fuel warning system in the C310K. Corrective action: adjust personal checklist to limit xfer to 1 auxiliary tank at a time. This will ensure one running engine at all times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A CESSNA 310 EXPERIENCED BOTH ENG FAILURES DURING CRUISE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. EMER WAS DECLARED AND ATC REQUESTED FOR A VECTOR TO THE NEAREST ARPT. BOTH ENGS WERE RESTARTED AND THE EMER CANCELED AFTER FUEL WAS REDIRECTED FROM THE AUX TO THE MAIN FUEL TANKS FOR THE ENGS.

Narrative: ON A NIGHT VFR FLT WHILE FUELING #1 AND #2 ENGS FROM AUX FUEL TANKS, BOTH ENGS DIED DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. I CALLED ZHU, DECLARED AN EMER AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO NEAREST ARPT. AFTER LOSING 3000 FT, BOTH ENGS WERE RESTARTED AND EMER CANCELED. PROB: FUEL STARVATION. CAUSE: PLT INATTENTION TO AUX FUEL LEVELS AND LACK OF A LOW FUEL WARNING SYS IN THE C310K. CORRECTIVE ACTION: ADJUST PERSONAL CHKLIST TO LIMIT XFER TO 1 AUX TANK AT A TIME. THIS WILL ENSURE ONE RUNNING ENG AT ALL TIMES.

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.