ERA17TA196

The private pilot, who was the builder of the experimental, amateur-built airplane, reported that the airplane was in cruise flight when the engine experienced a total loss of power. He noted that the right fuel tank was empty and that the fuel selector handle was on the left tank. He attempted a restart; however, this was unsuccessful, and he performed a forced landing in a field. The nose landing gear collapsed during the landing roll, resulting in structural damage to the lower fuselage and engine firewall. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel tank selector handle was on the left tank but the fuel valve remained on the empty right tank. Further examination of the hardware revealed that a threaded metal rod that the pilot installed to connect the tank selector handle to the fuel valve "twisted like bubble gum" when rotated and would not turn the fuel valve. The pilot, who was the airplane builder, used a thinner rod than specified due to an interference problem. This rod was not part of the airplane kit and was improvised by the pilot. The pilot reported that the handle/valve assembly had operated normally during initial testing.

On May 29, 2017, at 1330 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Zenith Zodiac 601XL, N167EZ, was substantially damaged during a forced landing at Sanford, North Carolina. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated at Deck Airpark (NC11), Apex, North Carolina at 1145.The pilot reported that he was returning to his home airport, at 6,000 feet mean sea level, when the engine lost all power. He noticed that the right fuel tank was empty; however, he thought that the engine was feeding from the left tank. He attempted a restart, and the engine momentarily started, then lost power again. Unable to restart the engine, he performed a forced landing in a plowed field. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The nose gear collapsed during the forced landing, resulting in structural damage to the lower fuselage and engine firewall. The engine and propeller were undamaged. The right fuel tank was empty and the left tank contained fuel. The fuel tank selector handle in the cockpit was found at the left tank position; however, the fuel tank valve remained in the right tank position and could not be moved to the left tank position. The fuel tank selector valve hardware was examined. The connection between the tank selector handle and the fuel valve consisted of a threaded metal rod, about one foot in length. The pilot, who was the airplane builder, reported that the rod "twisted like bubble gum" when the handle was rotated without changing the position of the valve. He used a thinner rod due to an interference problem during construction. The rod was not part of the airplane kit and was improvised by the pilot. The pilot reported that the handle/valve assembly operated normally during initial testing.