C310 PLT LOSES ENG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION IN LAX AIRSPACE.

Narrative

I HAD NOT FLOWN MY PLANE FOR 3 WKS. I HAD AN IMPORTANT TRIP AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE PLANE WAS OPERATING WELL. MY INTENT WAS A SHORT IFR FLT TO BFL; LAND; AND A SHORT IFR RETURN TO VNY. ON UNLOCKING THE PLANE; MY FIRST ACTION WAS TO CHK FUEL. THE R AND L MAINS SHOWED 20 GALLONS EACH. I PRESSED THE SWITCH ON THE FUEL GAUGE TO SEE WHAT WAS IN THE AUX TANKS. THEY ALSO READ ABOUT 20 GALLONS EACH. WITH A TOTAL OF 80 GALLONS; THE IFR FLT TO BFL AND BACK WAS IN THE MARGIN OF FUEL REQUIREMENTS. I TOOK OFF; FLEW UNEVENTFULLY TO BFL; ALL THE TIME ON THE MAIN TANKS. UPON LNDG; I REQUESTED TAXI BACK AND AN IFR CLRNC BACK TO VNY. I TOOK OFF ON THE MAINS AND FLEW APPROX TO LHS BEFORE SWITCHING OVER TO THE AUX TANKS. UPON SWITCHING TO THE AUXS; THE FUEL GAUGES READ NEAR ZERO. AT THIS POINT IT BECAME CLR THAT THE PANEL SWITCH WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO READ THE AUX LEVEL WAS DEFECTIVE. WITH TOO LITTLE FUEL; I GOT BOTH AUXS DRY; SWITCHED BACK TO MAINS. I HAD 30 MI TO GO; WITH 5 GALLONS IN THE L AND VERY LITTLE IN THE R. AT ABOUT 20 MI OUT; THE R ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. I SECURED THE ENG; INFORMED THE APCH ATC AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE TWR; THAT I WAS LNDG ON 1 ENG. SINGLE ENG LNDG WAS DONE CORRECTLY WITHOUT INCIDENT. LESSON: 1) VISUALLY CHK THE TANKS. HAD I DONE THIS THE PROB WOULD HAVE BEEN APPARENT. 2) SVC THE FUEL GAUGE SWITCH SO IT WORKS PROPERLY. THIS HAS BEEN COMPLETED.