The Incident
During the takeoff climb, the engine lost power at an altitude between 150 and 200 feet above ground level. The pilot was unable to reach a suitable landing area. The airplane touched down in a field, bounced into the air, and subsequently flew into trees.
Post-Accident Investigation
Examination after the accident revealed that fuel would not flow to the carburetor with the fuel selector turned on and the electric boost pump activated. Contamination was found in the carburetor and the fuel strainer.
Fueling Practices
The pilot had used automotive gasoline (auto gas) for the flight. The fuel was placed into cans and then poured directly into the wing tanks without being run through a filter or strainer. According to the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for auto gas usage, when refueling from cans, the fuel should be filtered or run through a chamois to remove contaminants.