Small aircraft has forced landing while simulating emergency lndgs.

Attributes
ACN	186969
Time
Date	199108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : o88
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 970 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	186969
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

My student was practicing emergencys. I had simulated an engine failure at 3000 ft. He went through the usual flow check which included switching tanks. At 500 ft I told him to look at the poor field he had picked (no houses or roads nearby, crosswind, extremely short, etc) at this time we initiated a go around and the engine quit. We landed safely and suffered only a bent propeller. What had happened was my student had switched from the right to the left tank, however, the safety lock was broken and he went slightly passed towards off (enough to starve the engine). I estimate we had about 45 seconds between the attempted go around and landing. Not enough time to restart fuel flow. I don't know that I could have prevented the occurrence as I had watched him switch tanks. However, it is extremely difficult to see the selector as it's on the left side near the pilot's ankle. In the future I will warn my students of the possibility of fuel starvation if the selector is not locked into place. With new students I will also have them move their leg so I can see and verify the position of the fuel selector. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The lock is a 'stop' to prevent selector from moving too far. The detent for proper positioning is not a real positive indication. Student did not recognize passing the position. The 'stop/lock' was repaired promptly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS FORCED LNDG WHILE SIMULATING EMER LNDGS.

Narrative: MY STUDENT WAS PRACTICING EMERS. I HAD SIMULATED AN ENG FAILURE AT 3000 FT. HE WENT THROUGH THE USUAL FLOW CHK WHICH INCLUDED SWITCHING TANKS. AT 500 FT I TOLD HIM TO LOOK AT THE POOR FIELD HE HAD PICKED (NO HOUSES OR ROADS NEARBY, XWIND, EXTREMELY SHORT, ETC) AT THIS TIME WE INITIATED A GAR AND THE ENG QUIT. WE LANDED SAFELY AND SUFFERED ONLY A BENT PROP. WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS MY STUDENT HAD SWITCHED FROM THE R TO THE L TANK, HOWEVER, THE SAFETY LOCK WAS BROKEN AND HE WENT SLIGHTLY PASSED TOWARDS OFF (ENOUGH TO STARVE THE ENG). I ESTIMATE WE HAD ABOUT 45 SECONDS BTWN THE ATTEMPTED GAR AND LNDG. NOT ENOUGH TIME TO RESTART FUEL FLOW. I DON'T KNOW THAT I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE OCCURRENCE AS I HAD WATCHED HIM SWITCH TANKS. HOWEVER, IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE SELECTOR AS IT'S ON THE L SIDE NEAR THE PLT'S ANKLE. IN THE FUTURE I WILL WARN MY STUDENTS OF THE POSSIBILITY OF FUEL STARVATION IF THE SELECTOR IS NOT LOCKED INTO PLACE. WITH NEW STUDENTS I WILL ALSO HAVE THEM MOVE THEIR LEG SO I CAN SEE AND VERIFY THE POS OF THE FUEL SELECTOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE LOCK IS A 'STOP' TO PREVENT SELECTOR FROM MOVING TOO FAR. THE DETENT FOR PROPER POSITIONING IS NOT A REAL POSITIVE INDICATION. STUDENT DID NOT RECOGNIZE PASSING THE POS. THE 'STOP/LOCK' WAS REPAIRED PROMPTLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.