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Casualties unknown

Forced Landing Following Engine Power Loss Due to Fuel Selector Position (GNQK)

South St. Paul, MN, US

On May 19, 2004, a Cessna 180J (registration GNQK) was involved in an aviation accident near South St. Paul, MN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to select the fuel selector to the BOTH position prior to takeoff, resulting in fuel starvation and loss of engine power. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards

A private pilot experienced a loss of engine power during takeoff after forgetting to select the fuel selector to the BOTH position, resulting in a forced landing and substantial aircraft damage.

Accident Overview

A private pilot conducted a maintenance flight following the installation of a new 300 horsepower Continental IO-550-D37 engine. As part of the engine conversion, a small header tank with a capacity of about 1.5 gallons of fuel was installed on the airplane.

Flight and Incident

During the takeoff, the pilot reported that the fuel selector was left in the OFF position. The airplane climbed to an altitude of 500 feet above ground level when the engine lost power. The pilot initiated a turn back toward the airport to perform a forced landing. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain on the airport property, resulting in substantial damage.

Pilot Report

According to the pilot, the maintenance flight was necessary to break in the new engine. He indicated that he forgot to move the fuel selector from the OFF position to the BOTH position before departure, which led to the loss of engine power. No other factors were reported.

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to select the fuel selector to the BOTH position prior to takeoff, resulting in fuel starvation and loss of engine power.
Engine failureFuel exhaustion & starvation

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 19 May 2004 Cessna 180J accident near South St. Paul, MN?

A private pilot experienced a loss of engine power during takeoff after forgetting to select the fuel selector to the BOTH position, resulting in a forced landing and substantial aircraft damage.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 19 May 2004 involved a Cessna 180J, registration GNQK, at South St. Paul, MN.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's failure to select the fuel selector to the BOTH position prior to takeoff, resulting in fuel starvation and loss of engine power.

More accident analyses

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20040524X00642. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.