Flight and Descent
The pilot was returning to the airport after a local flight at twilight. As the airplane approached the 45-degree leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot completed the landing checklist. The pilot intended to move the fuel selector handle from the right tip tank position to the left tip tank position, passing through two intermediate tank positions. The next position beyond left tip is the "off" position, normally guarded by a spring-loaded mechanical stop.
Due to turbulent flight conditions, the pilot entered the downwind leg at the uncontrolled airport about 1,000 feet above ground, higher than typical, and descended on an extended downwind leg at near idle power.
Engine Failure and Crash
When the pilot advanced the throttle to arrest the airplane's descent on the extended base leg, the engine did not respond. The fuel pressure gauge read zero. The pilot attempted to restart the engine and switched the fuel selector to another tank position, but insufficient altitude remained to complete the restart. The aircraft impacted a tree and crashed into the back yard of a residence, striking an occupant who was in the yard.
Post-Accident Examination
The morning after the accident, investigators found no fuel in the fuel lines forward of the firewall. However, the aircraft had been inverted overnight. Approximately 2.5 ounces of fuel was present in the carburetor float bowl.
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the mechanical stop for the fuel selector was still attached to a plastic cover over the selector, but the cover was broken from the selector handle assembly. This allowed the fuel selector to be positioned between tank detents. When positioned between tanks, each of the adjacent ports was about 10 percent open.
The annual inspection was one month overdue, but the examination found no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failure.