Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR BY THE STUDENT PILOT.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On February 21, 1994, a Piper PA-18-150, N66ND, operated by the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, sustained substantial damage when airplane had a loss of engine power and the pilot landed short of the runway at the Grand Forks International Airport. Neither the instructor pilot nor the pilot-rated student were injured. The instructional flight originated at the Grand Forks Airport at 0845. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The instructor and student were doing pattern work. The instructor asked the student to switch fuel tanks from right to left. The student reported he "...didn't look and check the fuel selector position." He inadvertently switched the fuel selector to OFF. The instructor landed the airplane about 50 yards short of the runway. The wheels dug into the snow during landing roll, and the airplane nosed-over.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI94LA090