Incident Overview
During a cruise flight, the pilot performed a fuel tank switch from the left main tank to the right auxiliary tank. After switching, the pilot noted that the fuel gauges indicated full and felt the detent engage. The aircraft had departed with 30 gallons of fuel in the left main tank. Approximately 2 hours and 7 minutes into the flight, the engine lost power.
Pilot Actions
Following the loss of engine power, the pilot moved the fuel selector to the right main tank and activated the electrical fuel pump in an attempt to restart the engine. The restart efforts were unsuccessful. The pilot subsequently executed a forced landing on a gravel road. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the landing.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the fuel selector assembly after the incident revealed that the cam had separated from the shaft along the line of the braze joint. Additionally, the O-ring was found separated, exhibiting a brittle break oriented on helical planes.