Date: 201508
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Weather elements / visibility: 10
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: PA-24 Comanche
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class E ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Center ZZZ; TRACON ZZZ; Tower ZZZ
Aircraft component: Fuel Selector
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Confusion; Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Aircraft Equipment Problem Dissipated; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Aircraft engine spurted and quit developing power. Prop still rotating due to wind milling. At this point; I had just started over a thin layer of clouds and immediately did a 180 to maintain visual contact with ground. Turned on electric fuel pump and switched tanks. Engine restarted. Due to uncertainty of what happened; decided to land. We determined that ZZZ was the best suitable airport and vectors were provided to proceed. Reprogrammed GPS to direct ZZZ. Center handed me off to Approach who handed me off to Tower. Remained at 10000 MSL as a precaution. Used this time to trouble shoot issue. Tried carb heat and lost approximately 400 RPM and ran rough. Held this setting for several minutes with no improvement. Ran smooth without carb heat. Did a slow spiral down over airport and landed without further trouble. Electric fuel pump remained on. Taxied to maintenance hangar and requested the mechanic to test the engine driven fuel pump.While waiting to discuss with mechanic; I sumped each tank and no water or debris was found. However; when I checked the fuel levels (four tanks); I found the fuel as follows... right main down about 2 inches; left main almost or completely full; right tip tank appeared to have about 5 gallons remaining; left tip tank showed no fuel. These volumes will be verified when the Maintenance Shop reopens.Possible causes....Fuel starvation and a collapsing air intake hose from carb heat to carb.The fuel management was depart on right main; once at assigned altitude and over an airport; switched to left tip. Operated on left tip tank (15 gallon capacity) for 45 minutes at a fuel burn of 12.7 GPH. Switched to Right tip tank over airport and operated for 45 minutes at 12.7 GPH. Over airport switched to left main. Electric fuel pumped used on each switch as per POH. Noted that manual fuel pump pressure at low edge of green markings on gauge during engine driven fuel pump operation most of the time. Also noted that fuel management equipment would flicker low/high pressure warning occasionally. Since aircraft had not been flown much in last 9 years (approximately 18 hours) suspected that instrument needed to be calibrated.My original belief was that the engine driven fuel pump was insufficient to maintain proper fuel flow. Mechanic suspects the carb heat issue is unrelated and a faulty hose. After sleeping on the issue; I'm concerned that either I positioned the fuel tank selector incorrectly (I did verify Left main selected at time of switching and engine stoppage; but cannot state if it was cleanly in the selector position identify position) and pulled fuel from the left Tip tank in error. Will have the maintenance group confirm engine driven pump performance; fuel valve selector for proper operation. If the facts prove out that the left tip tank is empty and the left main is full; and the selector valve operates properly; this most likely was operator error.Lesson learned (or reinforced) for this pilot on how easy fuel starvation can occur. We read it all the time; but up to this point; I still failed to triple check the fuel selector position after switching that 3rd time. Time in type was over 150; time in this exact model was 4.




Synopsis: PA24 pilot experienced engine failure at 10;000 feet and quickly selects another tank and turns on the electric fuel pump; restoring normal operation. After landing the left tip tank was found to be empty; which would not have been the case had the fuel management plan been followed. The left tip tank may have inadvertently been selected when attempting to select the left main tank.