Event Summary
During cruise flight at 1,800 feet, the pilot reported that the engine shut down while operating on the center tank, which was approximately one-third full. The front tank was full and the rear tank was nearly empty. The pilot switched the fuel selector to the front tank, and after 10 to 15 seconds, the engine restarted. It ran smoothly for 15 to 20 seconds before shutting down again, with the fuel pressure gauge indicating zero. Attempts to restore fuel pressure using the hand-operated wobble pump were unsuccessful.
Forced Landing
The pilot executed a forced landing on what appeared to be the only suitable area: a high school football and baseball field. The aircraft skidded across the wet field and struck a 10- to 12-foot-high chain link fence head-on at an estimated speed of 30 to 35 miles per hour.
Post-Accident Examination
An FAA inspector examined the aircraft and noted anomalies with the fuel selector valve's operation. According to the inspector, the selector valve could aspirate to an empty tank in two distinct ways. First, using the wobble pump to create suction in the supply-side line, slight inward pressure on the center of the valve would unseat the valve, causing an instant loss of prime. Recovery would be impossible unless the valve returned to its original position. Second, with the valve in the selected off position or an in-between position, it was possible to create enough suction to unseat the valve and cause aspiration. The inspector stated that this condition was repeatable, albeit to a lesser degree, with a newly overhauled valve.