FTW87FA170

Factual narrative

ON THE THIRD TOUCH AND GO LANDING, WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE APPROACH, THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENGINE FAILED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED 3 TO 4 TIMES TO RESTART THE ENGINE BY SWITCHING FUEL TANKS AND ACTIVATING THE BOOST PUMP. THE ENGINE STARTED ONCE BUT FAILED AGAIN. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, STRIKING THE LEFT WING ON A FENCE POST AND COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. FUEL WAS FOUND IN BOTH TANKS, HOWEVER, THE AUX TANK AND THE ENG FUEL DISTRIBUTER WERE FOUND EMPTY. THE CFI STATED DURING AN INTERVIEW AFTER THE ACCD THAT HE WAS NOT SURE WHICH FUEL TANK WAS SELECTED WHEN THE ENG FAILED. THE ENG RAN SATISFACTORILY DURING A POST-ACCD RUN-UP, HOWEVER, WHEN THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SWITCHED TO THE OFF OR AUX POSITIONS THE ENG WOULD STOP AFTER ABOUT 1 MINUTE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12