Incident Overview
A student pilot was conducting a training flight under the supervision of an instructor. During the flight, the student was instructed to switch the fuel selector from the right tank to the left tank. Later, while the airplane was on the downwind leg for landing, the instructor directed the student to reduce power and perform a simulated forced landing.
Go-Around and Engine Failure
As the airplane was some distance from the runway and approximately 200 feet above the ground, the instructor decided to abort the simulated forced landing and instructed the student to go around. The student advanced the throttle, but the engine did not respond. The instructor immediately took control of the airplane.
Off-Airport Landing
With the engine unresponsive, the instructor turned the airplane 40 degrees to the right, lowered the landing gear, and initiated an off-airport landing on a rough dirt field. During the landing roll, the left wing struck a large bush, causing the airplane to spin approximately 90 degrees to the left. The aircraft then slid sideways for about 65 feet before coming to a stop.
Post-Landing Inspection
After evacuating the airplane, the instructor returned to turn off the electronics. At that time, he noticed that the fuel selector was in the OFF position. The aircraft sustained damage to the left wing from the bush impact and likely from the subsequent slide.