CASA GRANDE, AZ, USA
N115DM
MCEWEN DICK GLASAIR III
THE PILOT WAS ON A PERSONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO A NEARBY AIRPORT. ABOUT 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, INCLUDING ROTATION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE, FAILED TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND A FORCED LANDING AREA WAS SELECTED ON A RURAL DIRT ROAD. AS THE PILOT WAS PREPARING TO LAND, A SCHOOL BUS OCCUPIED THE LANDING ZONE, AND THE PILOT THEN SELECTED AN ADJACENT ROAD. DURING THE LANDING, THE LEFT WING STRUCK TREES LOCATED ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FAA PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE OFF POSITION, BUT PLACARDED AS THE MAIN TANK POSITION. THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN WING FUEL TANKS CONTAINED FUEL; HOWEVER A HEADER TANK WAS EMPTY. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT ON THE EVENING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED ON THE HEADER TANK, WHICH HAS A CAPACITY OF ABOUT 5 GALLONS. THE PILOT, WHO HAS ABOUT 10 HOURS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE, DID NOT REMEMBER WHAT FUEL TANK WAS SELECTED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A MANDATORY SERVICE BULLETIN REQUIRING A PLACARD DETAILING THE FUEL HANDLE POSITIONS, AND INSTALLATION OF MECHANICAL STOPS AND A MOVABLE GATE TO PRECLUDE INADVERTENT SELECTION OF THE OFF POSITION.
A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO SELECT THE PROPER FUEL TANK AND SUBSEQUENT FUEL STARVATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS AN INADEQUATE DESIGN BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT PERMITTED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO BE ROTATED 360 DEGREES, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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