Incident Overview
A flight instructor reported that during the initial climb after takeoff, he switched off the aircraft's headlight. Immediately thereafter, the engine lost all power, necessitating a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane collided with trees before coming to a stop.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination of the engine revealed that the engine-driven fuel pump had failed. The electric fuel boost pump switch, located adjacent to the landing light switch, was found in the OFF position. The boost pump was subsequently tested and operated properly.
Additional Details
The proximity of the landing light switch to the electric fuel boost pump switch suggests a possible misidentification during the headlight operation. However, the accident investigation did not explicitly state a causal relationship between the switch position and the power loss.