PLT DECLARES AN EMER WHEN HIS ENG QUITS DUE TO FUEL SELECTOR BEING INADVERTENTLY TURNED OFF. APPARENTLY A SKYDIVER STEPPED ON THE SELECTOR BEFORE JUMPING. THE PLT GOT THE ENG RESTARTED AND THE SELECTOR NOW HAS A SAFETY COVER OVER THE SELECTOR.

Narrative

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE ON OCT/SAT/1995. I WAS FLYING A CESSNA 182 FOR A SKYDIVING OUTFIT IN SALT LAKE CITY. AFTER DROPPING OFF THE LOAD OF SKYDIVERS AT 13500 FT MSL (9000 FT AGL) I WAS CLRED TO DSND INTO CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE SW OF THE ARPT. THE CTLR TOLD ME TO HOLD AT OR ABOVE 9500 FT FOR TFC ON THE DOWNWIND FOR SLC INTL. OUT OF 10000 FT MSL I EXPERIENCED AN ENG FAILURE. I WAS ONLY 5 MI FROM THE ARPT. I NOTIFIED ATC THAT I HAD AN ENG FAILURE AND I WAS UNABLE TO MEET THEIR ALT REQUIREMENT. THEY STATED THAT I WAS CLRED TO THE MUNICIPAL ARPT AND THEY ASKED THE OTHER JUMP PLANE TO CALL ME DOWN WHEN I MADE IT TO THE ARPT. PASSING THROUGH 9000 FT I BEGAN TO RESTART THE AIRPLANE; USING MY CHKLIST. AS I CHKED THE FUEL SELECTOR KNOB I NOTICED THAT IT HAD INADVERTENTLY BEEN BUMPED INTO THE OFF POS BY ONE OF THE SKYDIVERS. AT ONCE I PLACED THE KNOB INTO THE BOTH POS AND REGAINED PWR TO THE AIRPLANE. AFTER REGAINING PWR I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A NORMAL APCH TO LNDG WITHOUT ANY PROBS. ONCE ON THE GND I CHKED THE PLANE THOROUGHLY AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS AIRWORTHY. NEXT I PROCEEDED TO LOAD THE LAST REMAINING LOAD OF SKYDIVERS FOR THE DAY. I TOOK OFF AND CONTACTED APCH CTL. THEY ASKED IF THIS WAS THE SAME ACFT WHICH HAD PROBS. I STATED THAT IT WAS AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROB. APCH CTL ASKED FOR THE TAIL NUMBER AND STATED THAT THEY NEEDED IT FOR ROUTINE PAPERWORK. AFTER LNDG FROM THAT LOAD I CALLED APCH CTL AND EXPLAINED IN DETAIL WHAT THE PROB WAS. THE SUPVR STATED TO ME THAT THERE WAS NO PROB AND THE FAA WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY CALL ME ON THE FOLLOWING WK. TUESDAY MORNING I WAS VISITED BY 2 INSPECTORS. THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE THERE TO FOLLOW UP ON AN INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE THE SATURDAY EARLIER. AFTER REVIEW OF MY PLT CERTIFICATE AND THE ACFT LOGBOOKS; THEY STATED THAT THAT'S ALL THE INFO THEY NEEDED AND IF ANY QUESTIONS ARISE THEY WOULD CALL. I GUESS THE LESSON I LEARNED IS THAT A SAFETY GUARD IS NEEDED ON THE FUEL SELECTOR KNOBS IN THE OLDER MODELS OF C182'S IF YOU'RE USING IT FOR SKYDIVERS USE. I PASSED THIS ALONG TO THE OWNER OF THE OP AND HE AGREED AND HAS PLACED ONE ON THIS ACFT.