Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 350; Flight Crew Type 10
Confusion; Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Aircraft; Human Factors
Shortly after takeoff at around 2;000 ft. the right wing tip tank ran out of fuel. The engine then quit. I tried the fuel pump magnetos mixture and throttle. I then squawked 7700 and advised ATC on 121.5. TRACON then contacted me on 121.5 with vectors back to my departure airport and I told them I was unable and landing on the beach. Shortly after that it occurred to me to switch the fuel tanks so I did and what felt like about 30 seconds later the engine roared back to life. I then climbed and proceeded direct to my destination and informed the controller of what I was doing. I landed safely and talked to the police and fire department that was already waiting for us on the ground.I think the contributing factors are earlier in the day was my first time flying this aircraft type in over a year. Another contributing factor is most of my recent time is in an aircraft which does not require fuel tank switching. And the last contributing factor in my opinion is that the fuel gauges were not lit. I believe if they were lit I would have seen them in my scan and noticed the low fuel in the right tip tank before it ran out.
Pilot reported that forgetting to switch fuel tanks resulted in a momentary loss of engine power; which was restored shortly after switching tanks.