A piper 32 at 3000 ft had engine failure after selecting the alternate right tank. Landed off field....

Attributes
ACN	624601
Time
Date	200407
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : top.vortac
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 33 flight time total : 518 flight time type : 385
ASRS Report	624601
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was acting as a safety pilot for certified IFR pilot. He had been flying for just over 1 hour practicing approachs and holding procedures, I suggested he should switch tanks from the left to the right. He turned the boost pump on and switched tanks, verified fuel flow and switched off the boost pump. A few moments later, the engine started to run rough and then lost RPM's. We noticed there was no fuel pressure. After trying to regain fuel pressure by turning on the boost pump and switching tanks back to left, the engine failed to regain power. Fuel pressure never was restored. We idented a landing spot and turned to it. We made an emergency landing on a highway. The next morning, an a&P mechanic checked the fuel system out. He didn't find a problem and said it was possible the pilot didn't get the fuel selector valve in the right position. The fuel selector valve on a 1962 cherokee 160 has no stops at the tank position. There is only a light detent. He said if you don't get it in the 10 or 2 O'clock position, fuel flow will be restr and could even be closed. This all happened at 3000 ft MSL in the dark and our landing spot was at 900 ft MSL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER 32 AT 3000 FT HAD ENG FAILURE AFTER SELECTING THE ALTERNATE R TANK. LANDED OFF FIELD. FOUND TANK SELECTOR NOT IN CORRECT TANK DETENT.

Narrative: I WAS ACTING AS A SAFETY PLT FOR CERTIFIED IFR PLT. HE HAD BEEN FLYING FOR JUST OVER 1 HR PRACTICING APCHS AND HOLDING PROCS, I SUGGESTED HE SHOULD SWITCH TANKS FROM THE L TO THE R. HE TURNED THE BOOST PUMP ON AND SWITCHED TANKS, VERIFIED FUEL FLOW AND SWITCHED OFF THE BOOST PUMP. A FEW MOMENTS LATER, THE ENG STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND THEN LOST RPM'S. WE NOTICED THERE WAS NO FUEL PRESSURE. AFTER TRYING TO REGAIN FUEL PRESSURE BY TURNING ON THE BOOST PUMP AND SWITCHING TANKS BACK TO L, THE ENG FAILED TO REGAIN PWR. FUEL PRESSURE NEVER WAS RESTORED. WE IDENTED A LNDG SPOT AND TURNED TO IT. WE MADE AN EMER LNDG ON A HWY. THE NEXT MORNING, AN A&P MECH CHKED THE FUEL SYS OUT. HE DIDN'T FIND A PROB AND SAID IT WAS POSSIBLE THE PLT DIDN'T GET THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE IN THE R POS. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE ON A 1962 CHEROKEE 160 HAS NO STOPS AT THE TANK POS. THERE IS ONLY A LIGHT DETENT. HE SAID IF YOU DON'T GET IT IN THE 10 OR 2 O'CLOCK POS, FUEL FLOW WILL BE RESTR AND COULD EVEN BE CLOSED. THIS ALL HAPPENED AT 3000 FT MSL IN THE DARK AND OUR LNDG SPOT WAS AT 900 FT MSL.

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.

A piper 32 at 3000 ft had engine failure after selecting the alternate right tank. Landed off field. Found tank selector not in correct tank detent.