Incident Overview
During a training flight conducted at 3,000 feet with both engines at cruise power, an instructor simulated an engine failure by moving the left fuel selector to the OFF position. The student asked if the instructor wanted to shut down the engine, but the instructor declined. The student then verbalized the necessary steps for securing the engine, concluding with the instruction to set the right engine to crossfeed. Shortly afterward, the instructor observed that the right fuel selector was positioned between OFF and CROSSFEED. The instructor then returned both fuel selectors to the ON position. Approximately 30 to 40 seconds later, both engines lost power. Several unsuccessful restart attempts were made, and the instructor executed a forced landing to a lake. The airplane touched down, and both occupants exited under their own power.
Sequence of Events
The incident began when the instructor deliberately moved the left fuel selector to OFF to simulate an engine failure. The student, believing the scenario required engine shutdown, asked for confirmation, which the instructor denied. The student proceeded to recite the steps for engine securing, ending with a command to put the right engine to crossfeed. After this verbalization, the instructor noticed that the right fuel selector was not in a correct position—it was between OFF and CROSSFEED. Correcting the situation, the instructor moved both selectors to ON. However, within 30 to 40 seconds, both engines ceased operation. Despite attempts to restart, the engines remained unresponsive, prompting a forced landing onto a lake. The landing was completed without reported injury, and both individuals exited the aircraft on their own.
Examination Findings
The aircraft was recovered, and the engines were examined and test-run. The examination revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions. The fuel selector system had three positions: ON, OFF, and CROSSFEED. A design characteristic of the selector was that moving it from ON to CROSSFEED required passing through the OFF position. No evidence of mechanical failure was found, and the engines ran normally when tested post-accident.