A pilot flying a Beech A36 closed the fuel tank selector valve in flight causing the engine to shutdown because he had been flying the BE36TC; whose fuel selector is opposite the A36. An emergency was declared and the aircraft landed safely at a nearby field.

Narrative

Was cruising at 4;500 FT and switched tanks to even the fuel levels. After a few minutes; changed power settings and went to lean the engine to the new power setting. In the middle of the leaning process; the engine stumbled and quit. Since this was a break in flight on a new engine; I assumed that the stoppage had to do with the leaning. Called Approach and asked for the nearest airport. Was pointed to an airport 3 plus miles away and turned toward it immediately. As I set up for a landing; moved fuel and prop forward; put on the boost pump and refined my approach. Landed on the runway and coasted to a taxiway and pulled off the active and held short of the parallel. Called Approach on the phone and let them know that I was on the ground; OK; and proceeded to further troubleshoot. Found I had placed the fuel selector valve in the OFF position. [I] did not try to change tanks while focused on the airport. The prior number of weeks I had been flying a B36TC whose fuel selector is the exact opposite of the A36. OFF is in the 4 o'clock position and the left is at 10 and the right at 2. In the A36; the OFF is at the 10; left is at 8 and right is at 4. I was aware of this and conscious of this before leaving the ground; but somehow turned the handle the wrong way any way. I feel that if the runway that I landed on was not available and easy to get to; I probably would have gotten to the fuel selector and continued to troubleshoot.