What happened
Shortly after departing from the airport, the aircraft experienced a sudden surge in the engine followed by a complete loss of power. Recognizing the critical situation, the pilot executed a left turn to attempt an emergency landing on a nearby taxiway. During the landing sequence, the aircraft made contact with the ground using its left wing first.
The investigation
A post-crash inspection of the wreckage was conducted to determine the cause of the power loss. Investigators found that the left fuel tank was full, while the right fuel tank was completely empty of fuel. Examination of the cockpit revealed that the fuel selector switch had been positioned to draw from the right fuel tank.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion. The pilot had inadvertently selected the empty right fuel tank for engine supply, leading to a starvation of fuel despite having usable fuel remaining in the left tank.