What happened
Following a departure from runway 33 at Hayward, California, en route to Ukiah, the pilot initiated a right turn at 400 feet agl. While passing through 500 feet, the engine experienced a power fluctuation. Concerned by this event, the pilot continued the turn to prepare for an approach to runway 15.
During the maneuver, the engine ceased producing power. The pilot attempted to return to the airport by gliding the aircraft and adjusting the mixture, throttle, and propeller controls. Although the pilot verified the ignition was in the correct position, there was insufficient time to switch fuel tanks before the aircraft collided with a fence located along the airport boundary. There were no injuries reported.
The investigation
At the time of departure, both fuel tanks were nearly full, with levels sitting 1 inch below the top of the filler necks. The pilot had selected the right tank for the initial flight to Ukiah, the landing, and the subsequent takeoff for the return trip.
During the investigation, an FAA accident coordinator noted the fuel selector was set to the right tank. Upon draining 12 ounces of fuel from the right tank, investigators found that no fuel was present in the fuel inlet line to the engine. The left tank was also found to be nearly full, with its level 1 inch below the filler neck.