Background
An airplane undergoing restoration was partly filled with fuel. It was test run, taxied, and flown during the restoration process.
Events
The owner took delivery of the airplane at the restoration location and flew home without refueling. The next day, the pilot sampled fuel at the drains prior to departure and then took off for a local flight. The pilot did not visually check the quantity of fuel in the tanks.
Engine Failure
Approximately 15 minutes after takeoff, the engine quit. Following the event, less than a quart of fuel was drained from the airplane.
Investigation
The investigation revealed that the airplane had not been refueled after the previous flight, and the fuel quantity was insufficient for the flight. The pilot relied only on sampling at the drains rather than visually inspecting the tanks.