Power Loss on Climb — Fuel Selector Trap
A Piper Cherokee 180's LEFT/RIGHT fuel selector and the cost of inattention to tank management — engine failure at 600 ft AGL over Tampa Bay
The scenario
Departing Peter O Knight Airport (KTPF), Tampa, FL — Runway 22, climbing out on a 217° heading over Tampa Bay. Elevation 8 ft MSL. It is a clear, calm VFR morning: OAT 22°C, altimeter 30.02, visibility 10+ SM. Scattered clouds at 3,500 ft. KTPF is non-towered (CTAF 122.8); you are in Class G airspace below 1,200 ft MSL. Above 1,200 ft MSL you will be in the overlying Tampa Class B airspace (1,200 MSL to 10,000 MSL).
You are conducting a personal VFR flight to a nearby field. The Piper Cherokee 180 is within limits: gross weight 2,400 lb, CG in envelope. Fuel: you visually confirmed both tanks appeared full during preflight — the left tank and the right tank. The fuel selector is currently on LEFT, as it was after the previous flight. You did not explicitly verify the selector position in the run-up; the engine ran smoothly and you assumed the system was correct.
You are 600 ft AGL, climbing at 74 KIAS (Vy, best rate of climb), heading 217°. The runway is behind you. Off the Runway 22 departure end (heading 217°), the off-field environment is open water — Tampa Bay. There is no alternate landing surface ahead.
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee 180, solo, carbureted Lycoming O-360-A, fixed-pitch prop, fixed gear, LEFT/RIGHT fuel selector (no BOTH position). The fuel selector has three positions: LEFT, RIGHT, and OFF. There is no BOTH position on this airplane — you must actively switch tanks. Steam panel, vacuum-driven instruments.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, current, roughly 250 hours total, with about 40 hours in the Cherokee 180. You are familiar with the airplane but have not flown it in three weeks. You did not review the fuel system diagram before this flight. You did not brief yourself on tank switching procedures.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KTPF · Peter O Knight'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '4/22 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '8 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'PA-28-180'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Approach'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you already know about the Piper Cherokee 180's fuel system and tank management? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB DFW05FA028 (2004, fatal): A Piper PA-28-180 on a night cross-country flight lost engine power due to fuel starvation from improper fuel tank management. The pilot failed to switch fuel tanks during the flight, running the selected tank dry. The accident occurred during approach to landing; the airplane impacted terrain. The probable cause was the pilot's in-flight mismanagement of the available fuel supply by failure to switch fuel tank position, with low ceilings and dark night conditions as contributing factors.
NTSB CEN24LA191 (2024): A Piper PA-28-180 on a cross-country personal flight lost engine power due to fuel starvation when the pilot failed to switch fuel tanks while distracted crossing a mountain range. The pilot was focused on terrain and did not monitor fuel management procedures. The accident resulted in a forced landing in a field.
NTSB ERA24LA116 (2024): A Piper PA-28-180 on an instructional flight experienced fuel starvation during the second approach to landing after the student pilot failed to switch fuel tanks despite instructor reminders. The student pilot's lack of fuel management and the flight instructor's inadequate monitoring resulted in fuel starvation and a forced landing on a highway.
NTSB CEN24LA189 (2024): A Piper PA-28-180 on an instructional flight lost all engine power when the student pilot positioned the fuel selector valve between port positions (in the intermediate zone) during descent. The improper fuel tank selection resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power. The flight instructor performed a forced landing to a field.
NTSB WPR24LA178 (2024): A Piper PA-28 on a personal flight lost engine power due to fuel starvation when the pilot placed the fuel selector in an intermediate position. The accident resulted from the pilot's incorrect movement of the fuel selector valve to an off or restricted position.
The local environment at KTPF makes this scenario particularly unforgiving: Runway 22's departure end (heading 217°) is open water — Tampa Bay. An engine failure on the Runway 22 departure at low altitude is a ditching, not a field landing. There is no open field, no road, no park. The water is the off-field environment. This is not hypothetical; it is the NLCD ground cover off that runway end.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other aircraft — NOT at Peter O Knight Airport. KTPF has its own accident history (see field dominant patterns), but these specific events happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to KTPF to make the off-field environment real and consequential for you as a student here.
The consistent thread across all these events: fuel starvation in the Piper Cherokee 180 is insidious. The LEFT/RIGHT fuel selector (with no BOTH position) requires active tank management. Running a selected tank dry, leaving the selector in an intermediate position, or failing to switch tanks during flight are the signature traps. The fix — verify fuel selector position before takeoff, monitor fuel quantity and pressure during flight, and switch tanks on a regular schedule — is simple. The failure is always a delay or an oversight.
Key lesson — The Piper Cherokee 180's LEFT/RIGHT fuel selector (no BOTH position) demands active pilot management. An intermediate selector position restricts fuel flow and causes starvation even if fuel is available. Running a selected tank dry is the signature accident. At 600 ft AGL on climb-out over Tampa Bay, the decision window is measured in seconds — not minutes. Off Runway 22 at KTPF, the off-field environment is open water: a delayed response means a ditching, not a field landing.
Debrief — teaching points
The Cherokee 180 has no BOTH position — you must actively switch tanks.
Unlike Cessnas (which have a BOTH position), the Piper Cherokee 180's fuel selector has only LEFT, RIGHT, and OFF. There is no BOTH. This means the pilot must actively switch tanks during flight to balance fuel consumption and avoid running a tank dry. Forgetting to switch, or leaving the selector in an intermediate position, is the signature starvation trap. Before every flight, verify the selector position and understand which tank is selected. Brief yourself on tank-switching procedures — do not assume you remember them.
An intermediate fuel selector position restricts flow and causes starvation.
The fuel selector detent positions are LEFT, RIGHT, and OFF. Positioning the selector between LEFT and RIGHT (in the intermediate zone) does not select both tanks — it restricts fuel flow from both tanks. This causes fuel starvation even if fuel is available. The engine will lose power. If power is lost and the selector is in an intermediate position, move it fully to LEFT or fully to RIGHT. Do not leave it in between.
Visual fuel inspection is unreliable — use a dipstick.
Looking at the fuel sight glass or visually confirming the tanks 'look full' during preflight is not reliable. Fuel quantity indicators can be inaccurate, and visual inspection can be deceived by lighting and angle. The only reliable way to know actual fuel quantity is to use a dipstick to measure the fuel level in each tank. This is especially important if you are unfamiliar with the airplane or if the fuel system has a history of issues.
At KTPF Runway 22, an engine failure on departure is a ditching.
The off-field environment off Runway 22's departure end (heading 217°) is open water — Tampa Bay. There is no alternate landing surface. If the engine quits on the Runway 22 departure and altitude is insufficient to return to the airport, the outcome is a ditching. This is not a worst-case scenario; it is the geographic reality. Best glide is 65 KIAS. Cabin door unlatched before water contact. Master off just before impact. Flaps for slowest possible touchdown speed — impact energy rises with the square of touchdown speed, so the slowest possible speed matters most. Know this before you line up on Runway 22.
Fuel selector position must be verified before takeoff and monitored during flight.
Before every takeoff, explicitly verify the fuel selector position — do not assume it is correct. During flight, especially on longer trips, monitor fuel quantity and pressure regularly. Establish a fuel-switching schedule (e.g., switch tanks every 30 minutes) and follow it. Use a checklist to ensure tank switching is not forgotten. The Cherokee 180's lack of a BOTH position means tank management is not optional — it is a core flying skill.
A precautionary landing after an in-flight engine anomaly is the correct call.
If the engine loses power, even briefly, and you recover it, a precautionary landing and a systems inspection are the correct next steps. Do not continue the flight assuming the problem is solved. Return to the airport, land, and have a mechanic inspect the fuel system, fuel selector, and engine. The root cause must be identified and corrected before the next flight.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB DFW05FA028 (2004, fuel starvation from failure to switch tanks), CEN24LA191 (2024, distracted tank switching), ERA24LA116 (2024, student fuel mismanagement), CEN24LA189 (2024, improper selector position), and WPR24LA178 (2024, intermediate selector position). Localized to KTPF with real off-field environment (open water off Runways 18, 22, 36).
NTSB reports: NYC03LA096 · DFW05FA028 · MIA02FA144 · WPR24LA178 · CEN24LA191 · CEN24LA189 · ERA24LA116 · CEN24LA108 · ERA12FA002 · ANC17LA043 · LAX97LA278 · LAX98LA168
ACS tasks: PA.I.F — Weather Information · PA.I.G — Cross-Country Flight Planning · PA.II.B — Engine Starting / Systems Preflight · PA.II.C — Takeoff and Climb · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.185
Step through the full decision tree, make the calls, and see where each choice leads — then debrief it with your CFI.
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