What happened
During the initial climb phase following takeoff, the aircraft's engine lost all power at an altitude of approximately 300 feet above the ground. In response to the loss of power, the pilot executed a 180-degree turn back toward the airport to perform a forced landing. The aircraft subsequently landed on a grass area located short of the runway. Upon impact, the airplane nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. The pilot was not injured.
Prior to taxi and departure, the pilot believed there was 30 minutes of fuel remaining in the right fuel tank and no fuel in the left fuel tank; however, no visual check of the fuel tanks was performed before the flight began.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft was conducted to determine the cause of the engine failure. Investigators found that there was no fuel remaining in the right fuel tank and approximately two to three gallons of fuel left in the left fuel tank. The examination revealed no mechanical anomalies in the engine or aircraft systems.