SMA RUNS 1 FUEL TANK DRY; MAKES FORCED LNDG ON A HWY. AFTER SWITCHING TANKS; HE TAKES OFF AND CONTINUES ON HIS TRIP.

Narrative

WE WERE ENRTE FROM NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT ARPT TO BROOKSVILLE NEAR TAMPA; AS THE SECOND LEG OF OUR FLT FROM SANTA FE TO VISIT MY WIFE'S PARENTS. I WAS FLYING VFR AT 3500 FT. VARIABLE TO 5000 FT CEILINGS AND RAIN MADE THE SELECTION OF 3500 FT APPROPRIATE. I WAS BUSY FLYING THE AIRPLANE. MY ENG QUIT. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED FOR AN APPROPRIATE LNDG PLACE; FOLLOWED BY TRYING TO RESTART THE ENG. I RECEIVED VECTORS FROM ATC TO THE CRYSTAL RIVER ARPT; BUT I WAS TOO LOW TO PROCEED MUCH FURTHER. I LANDED ON A MAJOR DIVIDED 4 LANE HWY WITH LITTLE TFC AND NONE CLOSE. UPON DISCOVERING THE PROB (FUEL EXHAUSTION IN THE R TANK); I CHKED REMAINING FUEL (NEAR FULL L TANK). I STARTED THE ENG AND IT RAN NORMALLY. SINCE THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE OPPOSITE LANE VISIBLE IN EITHER DIRECTION (LESS THAN 1 MI); I TOOK OFF AGAIN. AS SOON AS I REACHED ABOUT 2500 FT; I RE- ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH ATC AND THEN PROCEEDED TO BROOKSVILLE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I AM VERY INTERESTED IN BEING A SAFE PLT. THIS OCCURRENCE DEFINITELY TAUGHT ME AN IMPORTANT LESSON IN SAFETY. I HAVE REVIEWED MY SAFETY PROCS; AND FOUND SOME PROBS. I HAVE AN EMER CHKLIST THAT INCLUDES CHKING GAS LEVELS AND SWITCHING TANKS. I DIDN'T USE IT. THAT WOULD HAVE FIXED THE PROB IN SECONDS. I HAVE REVISED THAT LIST AND HAVE INSTITUTED A NEW PROC. I OPEN THE CHKLISTS TO THAT PAGE JUST BEFORE TKOF AND POST THEM NEAR MY L HAND. THE LONG TERM ANSWER; SEEMS TO ME; IS MORE EMER PRACTICE.