Incident Summary
During a final approach, a pilot added power but reported that the engine seemed to be losing power. The pilot observed that the fuel selector was positioned approximately half an inch to the left of center. After centering the selector and applying carburetor heat, the engine nevertheless ceased operating. The aircraft was too low to reach the runway, so the pilot directed it to the right of the runway, resulting in a hard landing.
Pilot Actions
The pilot stated that on noticing the fuel selector displacement, he centered it and added carburetor heat. Despite these actions, the engine quit. The pilot then decided to steer the aircraft to the right of the runway as landing on the runway was no longer possible. The landing was described as hard.
Weather and Examination
The weather conditions at the time were conducive to carburetor icing. A post-accident examination revealed that the fuel selector was set to the "BOTH" position, and both fuel tanks contained fuel. No further details were provided regarding the examination or other factors.