L ENG QUIT INFLT; RESTARTED. BOTH ENGS QUIT ON TAXI. UNABLE TO RESTART. ASSISTANCE FROM GND MECH RESTARTED ENGS.

Narrative

ANOTHER ERROR BY AN OVERCONFIDENT AIRLINE PLT IN AN SMA TWIN. TWICE I PROVED MY LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE FUEL SYS. IN CRUISE; TINY NON PLT PAX NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGES WERE OUT OF BAL. NO PROBLEM ; REACH DOWN AND XFEED THE L ENG FROM THE R TANK. A FUNNY NOISE AND SWERVE. THE L ENG QUIT. TYPICAL REACTION -- GO BACK TO ORIGINAL CONFIGN; CYCLE PROP; THROTTLE; MIXTURE AND RESTART. A QUICK IDEA WAS THE MIXTURE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RICH; NOT LEANED. OK; IT'S RICH; XFEED AGAIN. REPEAT -- ENG QUIT AND RESTART. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS; READ THE BOOK. BOOST PUMPS -- AHA! XFEEDS FINE. LONG FLT. TANKS JUST UNDER 1/4 ON THE STOP FOR CUSTOMS AND FUEL. NICE APCH AND TOUCHDOWN (FINALLY AFTER BEING 'AIRLINE PLT' FAST FOR PREVIOUS 6-7 LNDGS); ON ROLLOUT I USED AERODYNAMIC BRAKING THAT THE FBO INSTRUCTOR HARPED ON TO SAVE TIRES AND BRAKES. HELD THE NOSE UP 30 DEG UNTIL IT DROPPED AT 50 KIAS OR SO. GENTLY BRAKED AND DID A 180 TURN PER TWR INSTRUCTION. ADDED PWR TO TAXI AND THE R ENG QUIT; IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE L; OH GOD! HAD I TOTALLY MISMANAGED THE FUEL AND NARROWLY AVOIDED AN AIRBORNE FLAME OUT? (I HAD SHOT THE APCH WITH BOOST PUMPS ON DUE TO LOW FUEL.) MY RESTARTS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. FIELD MGR BROUGHT OUT A MECH; HE CLRED THE FLOODED ENGS AND STARTED THEM. WE TAXIED TO CUSTOMS. AERODYNAMIC BRAKING AT IDLE STARVED THE ENGS (FUEL INJECTED). LESSON LEARNED. IT WAS A RED FACED AIRLINE PLT (WITH LOGO ON GOLF SHIRT) THAT GASSED UP AT FBO AND DEPARTED FOR HOME PLATE!