Accident Sequence
The pilot reported that after takeoff, at an altitude of approximately 200 feet above ground level, the engine ceased operation. While initiating a left turn, the aircraft experienced a loss of airspeed and altitude, subsequently colliding with trees.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the wreckage at the accident site revealed no evidence of fuel. The aircraft's fuel gauges were placarded with the warning "NO TAKEOFFS PERMITTED WHEN TANKS LESS THAN 1/3 FULL." The pilot stated that he did not visually inspect the fuel tanks and that the fuel gauge readings were below the 1/3 full mark.
The investigation did not identify any other mechanical anomalies or contributing factors. The absence of fuel in the wreckage and the pilot's acknowledgment of low fuel indications suggest that fuel exhaustion likely occurred, but no official probable cause was assigned by the source.