Incident Summary
A fueler reported that an aircraft was serviced with 32 gallons of fuel in the left wing tank, while the right tank was not refueled. The aircraft then flew to Portland, with an inflight duration of approximately 50 minutes. Shortly after landing in Portland, the aircraft departed again without refueling.
Approaching the destination, the engine began surging. The pilot switched the fuel selector to the right tank, after which a total power loss occurred. The pilot executed a gear-up landing at night, approximately 52 minutes into the flight. During the landing, the aircraft collided with low, brushy trees.
Post-Crash Examination
Post-crash examination of the aircraft revealed no fuel in either tank and no odor of fuel at the site. Additionally, the right wing tank fuel cap was missing, along with its attach chain. There were no fuel stains on the wing, and no scratch marks or abrasions were found in the vicinity of the fuel cap fitting.