Accident Narrative
The pilot was repositioning the airplane from his private airstrip to an airport about 10 nautical miles south at night. The pilot had flown 1.3 daytime hours in the previous 90 days, all on the day before the accident; however, the accident airplane had not been flown in 6 months.
Before the flight, the airplane's left wing was refueled with 8-10 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. The pilot performed a preflight inspection and took fuel samples from both tanks, the strainer, and both wings. No water or sediments were observed. The pilot completed an engine run-up and then took off.
During the climb, approximately 400 feet above the ground, the engine quit. The pilot switched the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank. The engine began to produce power again, but not full power. The pilot opted to land at a nearby unlighted airstrip.
Approach and Impact
During the approach, while on base leg, and with the engine still running, the airplane impacted a tree. The pilot stated: 'I was checking the engine gauges and wasn't watching my altitude closely enough.'
Post-Flight Inspection
Post-flight inspection of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions. However, corrosion and severe pitting were found inside the fuel bowl.