Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 1600; Flight Crew Type 300
Confusion; Workload; Distraction
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
During cruise flight; the fuel selector handle on my Beech Bonanza V35B was moved from the RH tank position where it had been since takeoff to the LH position. This aircraft has four positions; as it has tip tanks. In order; they are Left Tip; LH Main; RH Main; and Right Tip. Each position has a detent. In reconstructing what happened; I believe that the fuel selector didn't quite make it into the detent position when I switched to LH. If it is not in the detent; it is effectively OFF. About two minutes after the switch; we had a complete engine failure. I contacted Approach and as we were nearly over an airport; said I intended to land there. After quickly switching tanks back to the original tank; the engine came back to life and we made a normal landing with emergency equipment standing by.On this day; I deviated from my normal procedure of always starting on the Left Main; and then switching to the Right Main after 30 minutes. I started on the Right Main and therefore was turning the lever in the opposite direction than that which I'm accustomed to. I believe this contributed to the incident as it was not my normal motion. I would add that it is very difficult in this model Bonanza to visually verify the selector position while the seat is pulled forward to the position occupied in flight.Lesson learned is that always do it the same way; and visually verify the position even if it means sliding the seat back for a moment or two.
A Bonanza V35B pilot failed to place his fuel tank selector completely in the right main tank detent which starved the engine of fuel. He diverted to a nearby airport but the engine had restarted before landing with the tank selector fully in the detent.