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Small aircraft sel engine quit shortly after takeoff due to the pilot inadvertently selecting the off position just prior to takeoff.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 259823 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199312 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mfr |
| State Reference | OR |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 250 agl bound upper : 250 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : mfr |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 729 flight time type : 30 |
| ASRS Report | 259823 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Stopped at medford, or, to refuel aircraft. Started engine on right fuel tank and taxied to runup area. Preflight runup completely normal. Switched fuel selector to 'both' position, was cleared for takeoff on runway 9 and departed. At approximately 250 ft AGL, the engine lost power. Told tower 'north-number losing power' and was immediately cleared to land any runway. I circled right and made a successful power off landing on runway 32, then rolled to the first l-hand exit (below the tower), clearing the runway. What happened? All attempts to restart while landing, failed. On the ground, a visual (not touch) confirmation of the fuel selector showed the selector in the 'off' position. When changing from right to both, pointed the wrong end of the switch to 'off.' the aircraft is a mid 50's vintage. There is no detent in any selector position to preclude accidental movement to the off position. In future, the selector will always be visually confirmed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA SEL ENG QUIT SHORTLY AFTER TKOF DUE TO THE PLT INADVERTENTLY SELECTING THE OFF POS JUST PRIOR TO TKOF.
Narrative: STOPPED AT MEDFORD, OR, TO REFUEL ACFT. STARTED ENG ON R FUEL TANK AND TAXIED TO RUNUP AREA. PREFLT RUNUP COMPLETELY NORMAL. SWITCHED FUEL SELECTOR TO 'BOTH' POS, WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 9 AND DEPARTED. AT APPROX 250 FT AGL, THE ENG LOST PWR. TOLD TWR 'N-NUMBER LOSING PWR' AND WAS IMMEDIATELY CLRED TO LAND ANY RWY. I CIRCLED R AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL PWR OFF LNDG ON RWY 32, THEN ROLLED TO THE FIRST L-HAND EXIT (BELOW THE TWR), CLRING THE RWY. WHAT HAPPENED? ALL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART WHILE LNDG, FAILED. ON THE GND, A VISUAL (NOT TOUCH) CONFIRMATION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR SHOWED THE SELECTOR IN THE 'OFF' POS. WHEN CHANGING FROM R TO BOTH, POINTED THE WRONG END OF THE SWITCH TO 'OFF.' THE ACFT IS A MID 50'S VINTAGE. THERE IS NO DETENT IN ANY SELECTOR POS TO PRECLUDE ACCIDENTAL MOVEMENT TO THE OFF POS. IN FUTURE, THE SELECTOR WILL ALWAYS BE VISUALLY CONFIRMED.
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.