Narrative:

On jul/sat/95, I was preflting my airplane, for a VFR flight from fmn to 17K. I only planned to use the main fuel tanks on this PA32-260 for the flight, so I visually checked the amount and quantity of the fuel. However, I did not check the fuel in the auxiliary fuel tanks. During the preflight checklist, I looked at the fuel selector and I thought that it was positioned on the left main tank. During the takeoff climb at about 300 ft AGL, the engine quit running. I immediately changed the fuel selector to the next position on the right. The airplane was damaged during the forced landing and after examining the tanks, the left auxiliary tank was empty and the selector was on the left main tank. Therefore, I think that pilots should be warned to always check all of the tanks, even though they may not plan to use them for the flight. Although the accident investigation has not finished, I am convinced that the fuel selector was incorrectly positioned on a nearly empty fuel tank prior to takeoff. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter called in response to our letter regarding incidents classified as an accident are not ASRS reportable. He advised that this incident was classified as an incident since the aircraft landing gear was the only damage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG AFTER THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: ON JUL/SAT/95, I WAS PREFLTING MY AIRPLANE, FOR A VFR FLT FROM FMN TO 17K. I ONLY PLANNED TO USE THE MAIN FUEL TANKS ON THIS PA32-260 FOR THE FLT, SO I VISUALLY CHKED THE AMOUNT AND QUANTITY OF THE FUEL. HOWEVER, I DID NOT CHK THE FUEL IN THE AUX FUEL TANKS. DURING THE PREFLT CHKLIST, I LOOKED AT THE FUEL SELECTOR AND I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS POSITIONED ON THE L MAIN TANK. DURING THE TKOF CLB AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL, THE ENG QUIT RUNNING. I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE NEXT POS ON THE R. THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED DURING THE FORCED LNDG AND AFTER EXAMINING THE TANKS, THE L AUX TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE SELECTOR WAS ON THE L MAIN TANK. THEREFORE, I THINK THAT PLTS SHOULD BE WARNED TO ALWAYS CHK ALL OF THE TANKS, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT PLAN TO USE THEM FOR THE FLT. ALTHOUGH THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION HAS NOT FINISHED, I AM CONVINCED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS INCORRECTLY POSITIONED ON A NEARLY EMPTY FUEL TANK PRIOR TO TKOF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CALLED IN RESPONSE TO OUR LETTER REGARDING INCIDENTS CLASSIFIED AS AN ACCIDENT ARE NOT ASRS REPORTABLE. HE ADVISED THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN INCIDENT SINCE THE ACFT LNDG GEAR WAS THE ONLY DAMAGE.

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.