A malibu pilot turned off his fuel right after takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	286009
Time
Date	199410
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bgr
State Reference	ME
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bgr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-46 Malibu
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7100 flight time type : 9
ASRS Report	286009
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

With sufficient fuel in both tanks, the engine popped twice after beginning a right turn. I quickly switched fuel selector to what I believed to be the other tank. Due to traffic conflicts, etc, I didn't notice until after landing that I had inadvertently switched fuel selector to 'off' position. The fuel selector is behind pilot yoke on bottom of panel and not in plain view while in normal seating position. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter was able to land back on the runway straight ahead with no damage or injury. The aircraft was a piper malibu. The reporter states that the view of the fuel selector was obscured by an approach plate holder that was attached to the yoke. In his haste, the reporter moved the fuel selector without really looking at it. The fuel selector is a slide mechanism for left and right and pull to the rear and slide for off.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MALIBU PLT TURNED OFF HIS FUEL RIGHT AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL IN BOTH TANKS, THE ENG POPPED TWICE AFTER BEGINNING A R TURN. I QUICKLY SWITCHED FUEL SELECTOR TO WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE THE OTHER TANK. DUE TO TFC CONFLICTS, ETC, I DIDN'T NOTICE UNTIL AFTER LNDG THAT I HAD INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED FUEL SELECTOR TO 'OFF' POS. THE FUEL SELECTOR IS BEHIND PLT YOKE ON BOTTOM OF PANEL AND NOT IN PLAIN VIEW WHILE IN NORMAL SEATING POS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS ABLE TO LAND BACK ON THE RWY STRAIGHT AHEAD WITH NO DAMAGE OR INJURY. THE ACFT WAS A PIPER MALIBU. THE RPTR STATES THAT THE VIEW OF THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS OBSCURED BY AN APCH PLATE HOLDER THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE YOKE. IN HIS HASTE, THE RPTR MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR WITHOUT REALLY LOOKING AT IT. THE FUEL SELECTOR IS A SLIDE MECHANISM FOR L AND R AND PULL TO THE REAR AND SLIDE FOR OFF.

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.