ATL87LA145

Factual narrative

THE INST PLT INDICATED THAT DURING AIRWORK PROCEDURES PRACTICE IN THE LCL AREA, THE RIGHT WING SEEMED TO BE HEAVY. HE INDICATED THAT HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM BOTH TO RIGHT TANK. AFTER ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES, THEY RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR LDG. THE STUDENT PERFORMED A BEFORE LDG CK AND WHILE ON FINAL, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ACFT WAS BELOW THE DESIRED FLIGHT PATH. AN ATTEMPT TO ADD PWR WAS MADE WITH NO RESPONSE. A RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED, HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORT OF THE APT. THE STUDENT HAD MOVED THE FUEL SEL TO THE BOTH POSITION DURING THE PRE LDG CK. THE SELECTOR WAS BINDING WHEN MOVED FM THE RIGHT TANK POSITION TOWARD LEFT AND BOTH. AN INTERVIEW WITH THE STUDENT PLT INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE USE OF THE TANK SELECTOR DETENTS AT VARIOUS SELECTOR POSITIONS. THE FUEL SELECTOR REPORTEDLY WAS NOT MOVED DURING THE ATTEMPTED RESTART PROCEDURES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12