What happened
Shortly after takeoff, while the aircraft was several hundred feet above the ground, the engine backfired and subsequently quit. The pilot managed to turn the aircraft around and head back toward the airport. However, the pilot was unable to reach the runway threshold. The aircraft touched down approximately 1,000 feet short of the runway, struck a ditch, and flipped over.
The investigation
During the examination of the event, the pilot reported that the cork seal within the fuel selector had deteriorated. This deterioration restricted the flow of fuel to the engine, leading to the loss of power.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this accident was the restriction of fuel supply caused by the degraded cork seal in the fuel selector valve. This mechanical failure prevented adequate fuel from reaching the engine during the critical phase of flight immediately following takeoff.