Incident Overview
An aircraft experienced a loss of engine power while in the traffic pattern, prompting a forced landing attempt. According to controllers in the Air Traffic Control Tower, the pilot reported that the engine quit shortly after takeoff from runway 25 as the airplane was on the upwind leg. The pilot was attempting to turn the airplane back for runway 7 when it touched down in a field and then struck a car traveling south on a city street, about a quarter-mile west of the airport.
Examination of the Accident Site
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector responded to the accident site. The inspector observed witness marks in an adjacent field that were identified as tire marks from the landing gear of the airplane. The airplane then traveled in an easterly direction about 350 feet, where it impacted and went through a chain link fence, crossed the northbound side of a city street, and collided with a sport utility vehicle (SUV) traveling southbound on the street.
Fuel System Findings
Responding firefighters noted fuel leaking out of the left wing tank and found that the right wing tank was full of fuel. Subsequent interviews disclosed that multiple individuals manipulated the fuel selector valve in an attempt to staunch the flow of fuel, and the preimpact position of the fuel selector valve could not be reliably determined.
Post-Recovery Inspections
The airframe and engine were subjected to detailed examinations and tests following recovery of the airplane to the airport. No evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure was found that would explain the loss of engine power. The only anomaly was the fuel selector valve handle, which was of a non-standard size and configuration that would allow the valve handle to bypass the safety stop and rotate a full 360 degrees.