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CHI08CA008

2007-10-25 · Owosso, Michigan, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport RNP

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot inadvertantly turned the fuel selector to the off position and failed to maintain aircraft control during the subsequent loss of engine power. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's change in his normal habit pattern.

Factual narrative

The airplane was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power on takeoff. The pilot landed at an airport to drop a passenger off prior to continuing on to his private airstrip. He stated that his normal habit was to turn the fuel selector off when shutting the engine down, but he did not do that this time. When he got back in the airplane to depart, he forgot the fuel selector was already on and he turned it to the off position The engine quit about 30 feet above the ground during the initial takeoff climb. The nose dropped and the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power on takeoff. The pilot broke his normal habit pattern by not turning the fuel selector off when he landed. When he got back in the airplane to depart, he forgot the fuel selector was already on and he turned it to the off position The engine lost power about 30 feet above the ground during the initial takeoff climb. The nose dropped and the airplane impacted the ground. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2007_CHI08CA008.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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