Piper PA28 N9754J accident near Huntsville, Texas

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power as a result of the pilot's inadvertent placement of the fuel selector to the "off" position.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was in cruise flight nearing the destination airport when the engine lost total power. The pilot reported that his low altitude precluded him from completing emergency procedures for a loss of engine power and he attempted to glide the airplane to an open field, but impacted trees short of the field. The fuel selector was found in the "off" position at the accident site. Examination of the airplane and a subsequent engine run did not reveal any anomalies with the airplane, engine, or systems.

The fuel selector installed on the accident airplane was located on the airplane's sidewall by the pilot's knee and allowed the pilot to freely rotate the selector handle through its four available positions; right tank, left tank, and two "off" positions. Two upgraded designs were subsequently provided by the manufacturer; the most recent design required the pilot to depress a spring-loaded stop while positioning the fuel selector to "off" in order to prevent the inadvertent selection of that position. Most of the pilot's experience was in airplanes equipped with the most recent fuel selector design. The manufacturer issued a mandatory service bulletin to upgrade to the most recent design, but the Federal Aviation Administration did not issue an airworthiness directive, which would have required operators to comply with that service bulletin.

It is likely that the pilot inadvertently selected the off position of the fuel selector due to his unfamiliarity with the design/operation of the installed selector, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power. Although the pilot was familiar with the accident airplane/make model, he had very limited experience in airplanes equipped with a fuel selector of the design on the accident airplane. Further, the loss of engine power may have been prevented if the accident airplane had been required to be equipped with the most recent fuel selector design.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN19FA170 for the full record.