Accident Overview
The flight departed runway 22 at a private airfield in Surf Side Beach, South Carolina. The runway was 4,000 feet long and surfaced with sod. The aircraft crashed into tall trees located approximately four-tenths of a mile from the departure end of the runway.
Witness Accounts
Witnesses reported that the aircraft had attempted to take off previously but aborted that attempt. After aborting, the aircraft returned to the extreme end of the runway before beginning the takeoff attempt that ended in the crash.
Investigation Details
Investigation revealed that the aircraft's fuel selector was in the 'OFF' position. No fuel was found in the aircraft's gasolator or carburetor at the accident site. Further testing showed that with the fuel selector in the 'OFF' position, fuel would not pass through the selector valve unless the electric fuel boost pump was turned on.
Engine Test
A test run of the aircraft engine demonstrated that when the electric fuel boost pump was in the 'ON' position and the fuel selector valve was in the 'OFF' position, the engine would start and operate at low power settings.