Pomona, MO, USA
N76524
Cessna 120
The private pilot reported that he departed the airport for the local flight with both wing fuel tanks full of fuel and the fuel selector on the left tank. After flying for about 1 hour, he landed at the airport and departed again. When the airplane was about 500 ft above ground level, the pilot intended to change the fuel selector to the right fuel tank. However, he inadvertently switched the fuel selector to the off position, and the engine lost power. The pilot immediately switched the fuel selector back to the left fuel tank and attempted to restart the engine without success. He executed a forced landing to a field, and, during the landing rollout, the airplane collided with a fence and hay bale, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot mismanaged the fuel during flight, which resulted in fuel starvation.
On August 6, 2018, about 1251 central daylight time, a Cessna 120, N76524, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Pomona, Missouri. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The airplane departed about 1145 from the West Plains Regional Airport (UNO), West Plains, Missouri, on a local flight. The pilot reported that he departed UNO with both wing fuel tanks full of fuel, and the fuel selector was on the left tank. After flying for about an hour, he landed at UNO and departed again. When the airplane was about 500 ft above ground level, the pilot intended to change the fuel selector to the right fuel tank. However, he inadvertently switched the fuel selector to the OFF position, and the engine stopped producing power. The pilot immediately switched the fuel selector back to the left fuel tank and attempted to restart the engine, but without success. He executed a forced landing to a field and during the landing rollout, the airplane collided with a fence and hay bale, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
The pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a forced landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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