What happened
During a practice instrument approach to the airport, the student pilot was performing the landing checklist procedure. As part of this routine, the pilot intended to switch the fuel supply to the tank containing the most fuel. However, the student inadvertently moved the fuel selector to the off position.
Following the loss of engine power, the instructor directed the student to begin reading from the emergency checklist. Although the student attempted to follow the procedures, they omitted a specific checklist item regarding the placement of the fuel selector to the fullest tank. Because the selector had already been moved, the error prevented the restoration of engine power. The aircraft subsequently performed a forced landing off the airport, with the fuel selector remaining in the off position.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the fuel system and identified a bend in the fuel selector stop arm. This mechanical defect allowed the selector to travel past its intended range into the off position.