On September 26, 1997, a Ryan NAVION B (registration N5241K) operated by Michael D. Boolen was involved in an aviation accident near Pacoima, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the dual student's improper positioning of the fuel selector and the CFI's inadequate supervision, which led to a takeoff with the auxiliary fuel tank selected and resulted in fuel starvation. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft lost engine power during takeoff initial climb and descended into two houses. Evidence suggests the auxiliary fuel tank may have been supplying the engine, and the fuel selector design may have led to incorrect tank selection.
Incident Details
The aircraft experienced a loss of engine power during the takeoff initial climb. Subsequently, it entered a steep descent and struck two single-family residences located approximately one-half mile from the end of the departure runway.
Investigation Findings
Evidence at the accident site, along with interviews with the aircraft's mechanic and the student pilot's flight instructor, indicated that the auxiliary fuel tank may have been supplying the engine during the takeoff and initial climb.
Fuel Selector Design Issue
In this aircraft, the 'OFF' nomenclature on the cockpit fuel tank selector was located on the aft side of the selector housing. This arrangement makes it easy to incorrectly infer that the long end of the selector handle should be pointed toward the desired fuel tank selection. This inference is incorrect. The potential for confusion is increased if the small arrow head on the opposite end of the handle has been partially obliterated with age, as was the case with this aircraft.