EMER FORCED OFF ARPT LNDG BY AN ATX PLT. FUEL STARVATION.

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SATURDAY; FEB/XX/95 ON A FLT FROM MOLINE; IL; (MLI) TO DES MOINES; IA; (DSM). I DEPARTED THE MOLINE ARPT AT XA50 PM WITH APPROX 2:20 MIN FUEL ON BOARD THE ACFT. DURING THE CLBOUT I NOTICED THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMP GAUGE WAS READING UNUSUALLY HIGH. I DECREASED MY RATE OF CLB AND THOUGHT THAT THE TEMP WOULD DECREASE WHEN I LEVELED OFF. THE TEMP DID DECREASE TEMPORARILY; BUT LATER INCREASED WELL ABOVE RED LINE. I HAD BECOME SOMEWHAT PREOCCUPIED WITH THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMP GAUGE AND DID NOT SWITCH FUEL TANKS WHEN I NORMALLY WOULD HAVE ON THIS LEG. I WAS ON A VISUAL APCH FOR RWY 13L AT OR POSSIBLY BELOW 3000 FT MSL WHEN THE ENG FAILED. DUE TO MY CONCERN OF THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMP; I HAD PREDISPOSED MYSELF TO THINKING THAT IT WAS THE SOURCE OF MY ENG FAILURE. I MADE THE DECISION THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE ARPT AND SET MYSELF UP FOR A LNDG IN A SUITABLE FIELD. I HAD TO FLY A TIGHT STEEP PATTERN TO MAKE THE FIELD. ON THE DOWNWIND LEG I BEGAN THE CHKLIST AND REALIZED THAT THE R TANK WAS EMPTY. I SWITCHED TANKS BUT DID NOT GET IT PAST THE DETENT THE FIRST TIME. I LOOKED OUTSIDE TO FOCUS MY ATTN FOR THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL AND THEN WAS ABLE TO SWITCH IT FULLY. THE ENG FIRED A LITTLE BIT BUT DIED AGAIN. I WAS ON SHORT FINAL AT THIS POINT AND MADE THE DECISION TO COMMIT TO A LNDG; AND DID SO. THIS SIT CAN BE AVOIDED IN THE FUTURE BY PRACTICING STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE USE OF CHKLIST INSTEAD OF MAKING ASSUMPTIONS.