Incident Overview
During cruise at 16,000 feet, the pilot had been drawing fuel from the left main tank for one hour. Approximately 30 seconds after switching the fuel selector valve from the left main to the right tip tank, the engine lost power. The pilot executed a glide to Telluride Regional Airport (elevation 9,078 feet msl), covering a distance of 10 miles, but the aircraft struck the ground about 30 feet short of the runway.
Fuel System Background
The tip tanks had last been used 16 months before the accident. According to the tip tank manufacturer, a possible cause for the power loss was trapped air in the tip tank fuel line, which could have reached the engine when the pilot moved the fuel selector to the right tip tank. Another possibility was that during the engine restart attempt, the pilot flooded the engine by selecting LOW BOOST.
Pilot Actions and Knowledge
The pilot was unaware of the procedure for purging air from the fuel system. No further details about the pilot's actions or the aircraft's configuration were provided in the source.
Investigation Findings
The investigation did not specify a single probable cause but noted the manufacturer's cited possibilities. The source did not include information on aircraft type, registration, date, operator, occupants, injuries, damage, time of day, weather, or ATC involvement.