A PA24 pilot experienced symptoms of fuel starvation and discovered the fuel tank selector improperl...

Attributes
ACN	734925
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-24 Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	734925
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

About 2 hours 15 mins into the flight; the engine surged and the engine monitor went blank. I declared an engine failure and started to divert to the nearest airport (ZZZ). Once I was descending toward the airport; I ran the engine failure checklist. I found fuel pressure low but pump was on. Realized that the fuel tank selector had been inadvertently repositioned out of the left tank position (just slightly). Restored fuel flow and reset alternator. Flight continued without incident. Aircraft was full of passenger and luggage. Suspect a passenger or bag must have caught on fuel selector.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA24 PILOT EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS OF FUEL STARVATION AND DISCOVERED THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR IMPROPERLY POSITIONED.

Narrative: ABOUT 2 HRS 15 MINS INTO THE FLT; THE ENG SURGED AND THE ENG MONITOR WENT BLANK. I DECLARED AN ENG FAILURE AND STARTED TO DIVERT TO THE NEAREST ARPT (ZZZ). ONCE I WAS DSNDING TOWARD THE ARPT; I RAN THE ENG FAILURE CHKLIST. I FOUND FUEL PRESSURE LOW BUT PUMP WAS ON. REALIZED THAT THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR HAD BEEN INADVERTENTLY REPOSITIONED OUT OF THE L TANK POS (JUST SLIGHTLY). RESTORED FUEL FLOW AND RESET ALTERNATOR. FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ACFT WAS FULL OF PAX AND LUGGAGE. SUSPECT A PAX OR BAG MUST HAVE CAUGHT ON FUEL SELECTOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

A PA24 pilot experienced symptoms of fuel starvation and discovered the fuel tank selector improperly positioned.