Cottonwood, CA, USA
N9YA
ROYSE RALPH L GLASAIR
The pilot reported that, during the takeoff, the fuel tank selector was mistakenly set to the auxiliary tank. Five minutes later the auxiliary tank ran out of gas, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. The pilot switched to the main tank; however, there was insufficient altitude available for a recovery. The airplane struck terrain about 100 ft short of the runway, which substantially damaged the left and right wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot’s fuel mismanagement which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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