Accident Report
A witness reported that the airport is situated on a plateau and that the surrounding terrain is unsuitable for an off-field landing. The witness stated that he observed the airplane takeoff, and as it passed, it looked and sounded normal. He then returned to his hangar and heard the engine go to idle.
Witness Account
Upon hearing the engine go to idle, the witness went outside and observed the aircraft losing altitude while making a 180-degree turn to attempt a return to the runway. The witness reported that the engine caught and sounded as if it was at full power, and the airplane regained some altitude. Subsequently, the engine stopped, and the airplane descended into the ground short of the runway.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that he had completed work on the fuel selector handle and had inadvertently reversed the handle when he reinstalled it into the airplane. When he selected the main tank with the fuel selector handle, the fuel valve for the main tank would have been closed and the fuel valve for the aft tank would have been open. The pilot stated that he had refueled the main tank, but the aft tank did not have enough fuel in it to keep the engine running.