Incident Overview
During the takeoff phase, the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot executed a forced landing from an altitude of approximately 400 feet above ground level, touching down on a slag dump located about one mile south of the airport. At touchdown, the aircraft was turning right, and the initial impact substantially damaged the right wing. The nose landing gear and left main landing gear separated from the airframe.
Occupant Injuries
The pilot sustained serious injuries, while the passenger was uninjured.
Fuel System Findings
During the preflight inspection, the pilot noted that the left fuel tank was nearly empty, and the right tank contained approximately 15 gallons of fuel. The fuel tank selector indicator showed that the right tank was in use. After the accident, it was discovered that the selector had been installed 90 degrees out of phase. Specifically, when the selector indicated the right tank position, it was actually drawing fuel from the left tank. To use fuel from the right tank, the selector would need to be positioned to the "off" position.
Aircraft Usage History
The aircraft had been flown three times since its last annual inspection, each flight lasting about half an hour. Throughout these flights, the fuel selector was kept in the position that indicated the right tank. If the left tank position had been selected, the engine would have stopped because that position corresponded to a fuel-off condition.