PLT OF AN SMA SEL MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG AFTER THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.
Synopsis
PLT OF AN SMA SEL MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG AFTER THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.
Narrative
ON JUL/SAT/95; I WAS PREFLTING MY AIRPLANE; FOR A VFR FLT FROM FMN TO 17K. I ONLY PLANNED TO USE THE MAIN FUEL TANKS ON THIS PA32-260 FOR THE FLT; SO I VISUALLY CHKED THE AMOUNT AND QUANTITY OF THE FUEL. HOWEVER; I DID NOT CHK THE FUEL IN THE AUX FUEL TANKS. DURING THE PREFLT CHKLIST; I LOOKED AT THE FUEL SELECTOR AND I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS POSITIONED ON THE L MAIN TANK. DURING THE TKOF CLB AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL; THE ENG QUIT RUNNING. I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE NEXT POS ON THE R. THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED DURING THE FORCED LNDG AND AFTER EXAMINING THE TANKS; THE L AUX TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE SELECTOR WAS ON THE L MAIN TANK. THEREFORE; I THINK THAT PLTS SHOULD BE WARNED TO ALWAYS CHK ALL OF THE TANKS; EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT PLAN TO USE THEM FOR THE FLT. ALTHOUGH THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION HAS NOT FINISHED; I AM CONVINCED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS INCORRECTLY POSITIONED ON A NEARLY EMPTY FUEL TANK PRIOR TO TKOF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CALLED IN RESPONSE TO OUR LETTER REGARDING INCIDENTS CLASSIFIED AS AN ACCIDENT ARE NOT ASRS REPORTABLE. HE ADVISED THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN INCIDENT SINCE THE ACFT LNDG GEAR WAS THE ONLY DAMAGE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.