What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft lost power, following take-off and made a forced landing off airport. Cannot make a positive determination as to why the aircraft sustained fuel starvation. The engine was thoroughly inspected for all system continuity. The engine was primed and run with no defects noted. The possibility of the fuel selector valve being in the off position and not noticed by the pilot due to a large case used for the storagae of maps and charts and other equipment obstructed his view. Pilot stated that he thought he had checked the position. This aircraft had an engine conversion which required the installation of a "header tank" in the cabin. The quantity of the tank would have been sufficient for a taxi and run-up then on climbout, been depleted. The pilot stated that "the fuel selector valve was cycled to all positions" with no luck.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER, FOLLOWING TAKE-OFF AND MADE A FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT. CANNOT MAKE A POSITIVE DETERMINATION AS TO WHY THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED FUEL STARVATION. THE ENGINE WAS THOROUGHLY INSPECTED FOR ALL SYSTEM CONTINUITY. THE ENGINE WAS PRIMED AND RUN WITH NO DEFECTS NOTED. THE POSSIBILITY OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE BEING IN THE OFF POSITION AND NOT NOTICED BY THE PILOT DUE TO A LARGE CASE USED FOR THE STORAGAE OF MAPS AND CHARTS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT OBSTRUCTED HIS VIEW. PILOT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT HE HAD CHECKED THE POSITION. THIS AIRCRAFT HAD AN ENGINE CONVERSION WHICH REQUIRED THE INSTALLATION OF A "HEADER TANK" IN THE CABIN. THE QUANTITY OF THE TANK WOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT FOR A TAXI AND RUN-UP THEN ON CLIMBOUT, BEEN DEPLETED. THE PILOT STATED THAT "THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS CYCLED TO ALL POSITIONS" WITH NO LUCK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.