Cessna 180K N95ME accident near Redding, California

Probable cause

A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's incorrect positioning of the fuel tank selector.

NTSB analysis

The pilot stated that, while maneuvering on downwind within the airport traffic pattern, he thought the fuel selector valve was on the "left" tank and rotated the handle 1/4 turn in the clockwise direction to a position he thought was "both." As the pilot turned onto base leg, he noticed the engine had lost power and initiated a forced landing to an area adjacent to the runway. Subsequently, the airplane landed hard on a rising embankment near the runway and came to rest upright. The fuselage and both wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that the fuel selector valve was actually in the "right" position, and when he rotated the fuel selector handle he had inadvertently positioned the valve to the "off" position. The pilot added that there were no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe prior to the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for LAX08LA089 for the full record.