This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
During an instructional pattern flight my student mistakenly did not switch tanks during the flight. Because of this we operated on one tank until that tank was empty, and the result was fuel starvation that caused engine failure.
After the engine lost power, I did basic troubleshooting (pulling carb heat and adjusting mixture) to attempt to regain the engine. Because of the location of the fuel selector, I was unable to see or manipulate it from the right seat. After 10 seconds of basic troubleshooting I committed to landing on the location and focused on flying the airplane.
The biggest contributing factor was my need to verify the correct tank before start.
Both of us had visually seen the fuel levels and discussed the tank we would use, but we neglected to ensure the selector was set appropriately.
I also need to include a better briefing in aircraft like that, that if there is an engine failure, I will fly the airplane, and the left seat pilot will switch the fuel tank.
Primary Problem: Human Factors
ACN: 2120762
I’m sorry but the CFI should have their ticket suspended for a year. This could have resulted in death or serious bodily injury due to a lack of flying 101.
Before the first flight my student would have a full understanding of the fundamental systems particularly fuel selection in the Cherokee.
I haven’t been in a Cherokee in 50 years. Carb heat, fuel pump SWITCH TANKS.
I’d agree, but we need to focus more on training and improving rather than following punitively aggressive suspensions to make sure ‘that’ll teach’em” based on old mindsets.
These things are the events that we learn from. Punishing people based on how great you are, will in the end, make them not come forth and nobody learns. I think your comment was incredibly lacking humility and overflowing with hubris.
Flight critical controls should be visible/accessable from both seats.
‘In a perfect world ‘
Bob
Yeah.! Who in their right mind put the fuel selector valve on the left side wall , down below the pilot’s left knee., where even the pilot can’t see it easily ?
Some aircraft do have the fuel selector between the seats where both left and right seat folks can see and use it.
His summary indicates he realized after the incident how critical it is in this model to brief the student with the fuel system and how it will be managed during the flight including who will and can adjust the fuel control. All steps should be practiced before engine start. This is also something the owner/operator needs to do with any inexperienced CFI prior to commencing instructional flights.
The CFI will be found negligent for the accident!
The full report only showed an off airport landing. Nothing said about the aircraft being damanged during such a landing.
I suspected, immediately, that this was a Piper Cherokee model and the report confirmed this.
When flying with a CFI, ensure that the CFI knows where the tank selector is so they know that the left seater has to handle this.
So it looks like lessons learned. And from this filing, I doubt the FAA will take any action against this CFI.