Introduction
A pilot who had recently completed a checkout in a Cessna 172 and flew that aircraft for three days subsequently switched to a Piper PA-28 for the flight in question.
Sequence of Events
During the flight, the engine of the PA-28 quit. The fuel selector was positioned on the left tank at the time of the failure. The pilot attempted to switch the selector to another position but could not verify the selection visually due to low altitude. After landing, the fuel selector was discovered to be positioned between the left and right tank detents. The left fuel tank was found to be empty, while the right tank contained a full fuel load.
Findings
The Cessna 172 features a fuel selector with a "Both" tanks position, whereas the Piper PA-28 lacks such a setting. The accident flight occurred in a PA-28.