Piper PA-28-161 N1669H accident near Jasper, Alabama

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the flight instructor's improper fuel management.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor stated that prior to the instructional flight the airplane was refueled so that the left main tank was approximately ¾ full of fuel. He said that he checked the right fuel tank and it was full. He taxied the airplane to the runway to conduct touch-and-go landings with his student. He said that he positioned the fuel selector on the left main fuel tank. After they conducted approximately seven touch-and-go landings, and on climbout between 200-300 feet, the engine stopped running and the propeller began to windmill. He told the student pilot "my airplane," and he then made an emergency landing in a field. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the left main fuel tank was depleted of fuel, and fuel continuity was established from the fuel tank to the carburetor. The right fuel tank was full of fuel. The FAA inspector interviewed a mechanic who assisted the pilots after the accident, and the mechanic stated that the fuel selector was in the left tank position after the accident. Examination of the engine by the FAA inspector revealed no evidence of precrash mechanical failure or malfunction.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA09LA308 for the full record.