On August 6, 2000, a Piper PA-22-108 (registration N4689Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Duchesne, UT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's use of excessive braking on soft terrain. Factors included fuel starvation, the fuel selector valve not engaging properly, the pilot's incorrect positioning of the fuel selector valve, and the soft terrain on which the forced landing was made. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
After takeoff, a pilot switched fuel tanks and lost engine power. Unable to restart, he landed on a beach and the airplane nosed over. The pilot suspected fuel selector misalignment, but an inspection found it operating correctly.
Incident
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot switched the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank. Within a few moments, the engine lost power. The pilot then switched the fuel selector back to the left tank but could not restart the engine. He made a forced landing on a beach, describing the approach speed as 'a little fast.' When he applied the brakes, the airplane nosed over.
Investigation
The pilot stated that he 'may have shut the fuel off' and later noted that the fuel selector handle and indicator pointer were not aligned with each other. In 1960, the Federal Aviation Administration issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) 60-10-08, which required inspection of the fuel selector valve to ensure proper alignment of the handle and pointer. According to the airplane's maintenance records, AD 60-10-08 had been complied with. An FAA airworthiness inspector who examined the airplane reported that the fuel selector operated correctly.
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