Incident Overview
A pilot operating from a private airstrip experienced an engine roughness during the initial climb after takeoff, leading to a ditching in a nearby lake. The pilot reported that before departure, he checked the fuel tanks and observed 6.5 gallons in one tank and 8.5 gallons in the other. Concerned about the fuel quantity, he decided to fly to an airport that had refueling facilities.
Pilot Statement
During the climb, the engine began to run rough. The pilot ditched the airplane in a lake. He stated that the fuel tank pick-up ports may have unported during the 'steep' climb.
Evidence Destruction
During an initial interview after the event was upgraded from an incident to an accident, the pilot stated that he had destroyed all evidence that would be required to determine if fuel exhaustion or engine malfunction had occurred. He also did not provide requested information about refueling receipts.
Logbook Review
Examination of the pilot's logbooks revealed that the pilot had logged 5.1 hours of flight time in the accident airplane during the 4 flights previous to the accident flight. The log did not contain any reference to refueling or to any destination airports with refueling facilities. Calculations indicated that the airplane would have consumed more than its 43 gallons of usable fuel during those 4 previous flights.