What happened
The flight was underway when the aircraft reached an altitude of 5,500 feet. At this point, the cabin door unexpectedly opened, creating a sudden disturbance inside the cockpit. The pilot immediately slid from the left seat to the right seat in an attempt to close the door and secure the cabin.
During this movement, the pilot attempted to advance the throttle to maintain power or climb out of the situation. However, there was no response from the engine. Upon investigation of the controls after the event, it was discovered that the fuel selector had been moved from its proper position. It was found resting between the two fuel tanks, a neutral position that effectively shut off the fuel supply to the engine.
The aircraft continued to glide without power until it collided with a fence during the subsequent forced landing. The impact caused significant damage to the airplane.
The investigation
Examination of the aircraft revealed that the fuel selector was positioned between tanks at the time of the incident. This position is not designed to supply fuel to the engine, resulting in an immediate loss of power. The cabin door had popped open prior to the loss of power, which likely contributed to the pilot's movement and the subsequent displacement of the fuel selector.
Findings
The primary factor in this accident was the mispositioning of the fuel selector. The physical movement required to close the cabin door caused the selector to shift out of the on position. This resulted in fuel starvation and a complete loss of engine power at a critical altitude.