Accident Overview
During practice pattern work, a flight instructor and a pilot-rated student were conducting touch-and-go landings. The instructor directed the student to switch the fuel selector from the right tank to the left tank. The student moved the selector without verifying its position, inadvertently selecting the OFF position.
Engine Failure and Landing
The engine subsequently quit, and efforts to restart it were unsuccessful. The instructor took control and executed a forced landing. The airplane touched down approximately 50 yards short of the intended runway.
Nose-Over Incident
During the landing roll, the main landing gear wheels dug into the snow present on the ground. This caused the airplane to nose over, resulting in damage to the aircraft.
Key Points
- The student did not visually confirm the fuel selector position.
- The selector was mistakenly placed in the OFF position.
- The instructor was forced to land off-runway due to engine failure.
- Snow on the ground contributed to the nose-over after touchdown.