What happened
Approximately 10 minutes after departing, the aircraft lost engine power. The pilot attempted a forced landing onto a road, but during the maneuver, the aircraft contacted trees.
The investigation
An on-site examination of the aircraft revealed that the fuel in the left wing tanks was empty. In contrast, the right wing tanks, which had been filled prior to the final departure, were found to be full. Investigators collected fuel samples from both the aircraft and the fuel tanks at the departure airport; these samples showed no visual evidence of impurities or contamination.
To further evaluate the engine, a post-accident test was conducted. The engine started, ran, and responded correctly to throttle changes when supplied with fuel through the feed line from the tank that was selected at the time of the accident. This test utilized fuel drained from the aircraft's tanks during the investigation.