Introduction
The airplane collided with trees, a house, and then the ground during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot had noted during the preflight inspection that the left fuel tank was nearly full and the right tank slightly above the tab.
Pilot Actions
The pilot performed several touch-and-go landings and one full-stop landing at various airports before proceeding to Orlando Sanford International Airport (KSFB). During the descent to KSFB, the engine went to idle and operated roughly but did not lose power. The pilot advanced the mixture control to full rich, verified the auxiliary fuel pump was on, and confirmed the fuel selector valve was in the left tank position. Switching the fuel selector to the right tank had no effect on engine performance. The pilot then trimmed the airplane for 80 knots and executed an emergency descent to land on a small community road. During the landing, the airplane impacted the roof of a house and trees.
Postaccident Examination
The fuel selector was found in a position halfway between the right tank and one of the off detents. Fuel was present in the fuel strainer, fuel lines within the engine compartment, and the fuel distributor valve. No discrepancies with the engine were noted during the postaccident examination.
Fuel Selector Testing
An operational test of the fuel selector valve was performed in the "as found" position by blowing air into the gascolator inlet; resistance was noted. The same test was then conducted with the fuel selector positioned to each respective tank, and no resistance was observed.