BAKERSFIELD, CA, USA
N7916W
PIPER PA-28-180
THE STUDENT PLT LANDED LONG ON AN INTENDED TOUCH AND GO LANDING AND THEREFORE, ROLLED OUT TO A FULL STOP ON RWY 31. A 180 DEG TURN WAS MADE AT THE END IN ORDER TO TAKEOFF ON RWY 13. PRIOR TO INITIATING THE TAKEOFF, ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PLT, HE PLACED THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION SINCE IT WAS THE FULLEST OF THE 2 TANKS. VERY SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENG LOST POWER. THE CFI INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT IN THE LEFT SEAT TO SWITCH TANKS, WHICH HE DID. WITH THE CFI TAKING CONTROL OF THE ACFT A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD ROLLING THROUGH A BARBED WIRE FENCE AND COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. NEITHER PLT CHANGED THE POSITION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR AFTER THE ACCIDENT. IT WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT 'OFF' POSITION. THE FUEL SELECTOR HAD 4 POSITIONS, LEFT & RIGHT AT THE 10 O'CLOCK AND 2 O'CLOCK POSITIONS AND 2 'OFF' AT THE 4 O'CLOCK AND 8 O'CLOCK. EITHER OFF SETTING CAN BE SELECTED FROM ANY OTHER POSITION. THE RIGHT TANK WAS FULL OF FUEL AND THE LEFT CONTAINED 1 GAL. NO FUEL REMAINED IN THE ENG DRIVEN FUEL PUMP OUTPUT LINE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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