Incident Summary
Approximately 2 hours into a local area student training flight, the engine lost power following takeoff from a touch-and-go maneuver. The pilot executed a forced landing in a field. The aircraft touched down flat, wings-level, and with high vertical acceleration, but remained structurally intact.
Examination Findings
Post-incident examination revealed that the right wing fuel tank and the auxiliary tank were empty, while the left tank contained 7 gallons of fuel. The fuel tank selector was positioned between the left and right tank settings. In this intermediate position, the selector would not allow fuel flow to the engine.
Fuel Selector Details
The fuel tank selector is located on the floor, at the outboard forward corner of the left pilot's seat, which was occupied by the student pilot. The selector is not accessible or visible from the right pilot's seat. The selector panel had no markings indicating tank positions; however, detents could be easily discerned by feel.