Accident Overview
A night instructional flight ended with a forced landing into trees after the engine lost all power during the approach to the airport. The private pilot, seated in the left seat, was performing a pre-landing GUMPS checklist. As part of the checklist, he moved the fuel selector from the LEFT position clockwise toward the RIGHT position. However, he did not visually confirm that the selector had reached the intended position.
Sequence of Events
The checklist item was executed at approximately 1,500 feet above mean sea level and about 3 miles from the airport. Shortly after, the engine ceased producing power. Neither the private pilot nor the onboard certified flight instructor (CFI) were able to restart the engine. Forced to land immediately, the pilot guided the aircraft into trees.
Post-Accident Findings
After the accident, the private pilot did not alter the fuel selector's position. Investigation revealed the selector was found in the OFF position. The selector was located on the left side of the cockpit, and the positions were marked as follows: LEFT at approximately the 10:30 position, RIGHT at the 1:30 position, and OFF at the 4:30 position. The movement from LEFT to RIGHT passes through OFF; without visual verification, the selector may have been inadvertently placed to OFF instead of RIGHT.