Accident Overview
On January 31, 2015, at approximately 2040 Alaska standard time, a Piper PA-12 airplane experienced a loss of engine power while in the traffic pattern at Palmer Municipal Airport, Palmer, Alaska. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and was being operated by the pilot on a local night visual flight rules training flight under 14 CFR Part 91. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Events During the Flight
According to a telephone conversation between the student pilot and the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot was practicing solo takeoff and landings. While turning from downwind to base leg, the engine began to sputter and lose power. The pilot applied carburetor heat and switched fuel tanks. The engine momentarily regained power but then lost power again. The pilot determined that he could not reach the runway and elected to perform a forced landing on an adjacent golf course. During the final approach, the airplane's landing gear contacted a power line, and the airplane impacted terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
Examination and Pilot Statement
A Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector from the Wasilla Flight Standards District Office examined the airplane and found that the left wing fuel tank was empty. In a separate interview, the student pilot stated that after the first power loss, he believed he inadvertently moved the fuel selector valve to the "OFF" position instead of the "Right Tank" position. The student pilot did not complete and submit NTSB Form 6120.1.
Outcome
The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the pilot reported no injuries.