Narrative:

I arrived at 056 without incident, shut down and deplaned. I performed a post/preflight inspection and verified there was sufficient fuel for the return to sts. After a start and run-up check, I departed gnoss runway 31 and lost all power at approximately 100 ft AGL. There was not sufficient runway remaining for landing. I scanned the area while pitching for glide and continued straight ahead. I initiated troubleshooting and quickly decided that the first priority was to safely land the aircraft. I transmitted a mayday and a position report while configuring and flaring the aircraft. I touched down at the slowest practical speed and rolled to a stop. Switches off, I vacated the aircraft and proceeded to a safe distance. Visual inspections showed no damage to aircraft, person or property. I returned to the cockpit area and inspection revealed the fuel tank selector was on the 'left tip' position. I concluded that I, inadvertently, placed the selector on the 'left tip' position instead of the 'left main' position intended. I would not have deliberately selected either tip tank, as I knew them to be empty. Several cycles of the selector confirmed that the 'left main' detent could be passed through easily, with little or no notice of the detent. I secured the aircraft, and returned to the airfield to assure fire services all was ok. I returned to the aircraft with an aircraft mechanic who confirmed the aircraft was not damaged and assisted in repositioning the aircraft. At this point FAA inspector and FAA technician arrived. FAA technician noticed that the poh and weight and balance information were not onboard the aircraft. About this point I secured the aircraft and proceeded back to the airfield and arranged for ground transportation back to sts. I have taken steps to assure that this situation and ones like it will not occur again. I will always double check, visually, the fuel valve in addition to the physical detent. I will also verify that all required documents are onboard and not assume they are just because I'm familiar with a particular aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA28-235 MADE OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF DUE TO THE ENG QUITTING BECAUSE OF FUEL STARVATION. THE RPTR DID NOT HAVE THE FUEL SELECTOR ON A MAIN TANK WITH FUEL SINCE HE WENT BY THE APPROPRIATE TANK WHEN ADJUSTING THE FUEL SELECTOR DURING PREFLT.

Narrative: I ARRIVED AT 056 WITHOUT INCIDENT, SHUT DOWN AND DEPLANED. I PERFORMED A POST/PREFLT INSPECTION AND VERIFIED THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE RETURN TO STS. AFTER A START AND RUN-UP CHK, I DEPARTED GNOSS RWY 31 AND LOST ALL PWR AT APPROX 100 FT AGL. THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING FOR LNDG. I SCANNED THE AREA WHILE PITCHING FOR GLIDE AND CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD. I INITIATED TROUBLESHOOTING AND QUICKLY DECIDED THAT THE FIRST PRIORITY WAS TO SAFELY LAND THE ACFT. I XMITTED A MAYDAY AND A POS RPT WHILE CONFIGURING AND FLARING THE ACFT. I TOUCHED DOWN AT THE SLOWEST PRACTICAL SPD AND ROLLED TO A STOP. SWITCHES OFF, I VACATED THE ACFT AND PROCEEDED TO A SAFE DISTANCE. VISUAL INSPECTIONS SHOWED NO DAMAGE TO ACFT, PERSON OR PROPERTY. I RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT AREA AND INSPECTION REVEALED THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR WAS ON THE 'L TIP' POS. I CONCLUDED THAT I, INADVERTENTLY, PLACED THE SELECTOR ON THE 'L TIP' POS INSTEAD OF THE 'L MAIN' POS INTENDED. I WOULD NOT HAVE DELIBERATELY SELECTED EITHER TIP TANK, AS I KNEW THEM TO BE EMPTY. SEVERAL CYCLES OF THE SELECTOR CONFIRMED THAT THE 'L MAIN' DETENT COULD BE PASSED THROUGH EASILY, WITH LITTLE OR NO NOTICE OF THE DETENT. I SECURED THE ACFT, AND RETURNED TO THE AIRFIELD TO ASSURE FIRE SVCS ALL WAS OK. I RETURNED TO THE ACFT WITH AN ACFT MECH WHO CONFIRMED THE ACFT WAS NOT DAMAGED AND ASSISTED IN REPOSITIONING THE ACFT. AT THIS POINT FAA INSPECTOR AND FAA TECHNICIAN ARRIVED. FAA TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE POH AND WT AND BAL INFO WERE NOT ONBOARD THE ACFT. ABOUT THIS POINT I SECURED THE ACFT AND PROCEEDED BACK TO THE AIRFIELD AND ARRANGED FOR GND TRANSPORTATION BACK TO STS. I HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO ASSURE THAT THIS SIT AND ONES LIKE IT WILL NOT OCCUR AGAIN. I WILL ALWAYS DOUBLE CHK, VISUALLY, THE FUEL VALVE IN ADDITION TO THE PHYSICAL DETENT. I WILL ALSO VERIFY THAT ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS ARE ONBOARD AND NOT ASSUME THEY ARE JUST BECAUSE I'M FAMILIAR WITH A PARTICULAR ACFT.

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.