What happened
During the preflight inspection, the pilot did not visually check the contents of the fuel tanks. Upon turning the master switch on, the cockpit fuel gauges indicated that the tanks were approximately one-half full.
During the takeoff roll, the pilot raised the nose wheel quickly to prevent the propeller from contacting the dirt. The flight proceeded with a steeper than normal climb-out, followed by a left turn while maintaining the steep climb. During this maneuver, the engine stopped and the metal propeller ceased turning.
The investigation
The investigation identified no preimpact anomalies regarding the engine or the airframe that could have affected the performance of the aircraft.
Findings
It was noted that if a steep climbing departure turn is performed while the airplane is only partially fueled, unporting of the fuel lines in the wing tanks is possible. This condition can result in fuel starvation to the engine.
Safety message
Pilot training manuals caution pilots to visually inspect the fuel tanks during preflight and not to rely solely on cockpit fuel gauges.