What happened
At night, the pilot was performing a repositioning flight from a private airstrip to an airport located approximately 10 nautical miles to the south. The aircraft had not been flown in six months, and the pilot had recorded only 1.3 daytime flight hours in the preceding 90 days.
Prior to departure, the left wing was refueled with 8-10 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. During the preflight inspection, fuel samples taken from both tanks, the strainer, and both wings showed no signs of water or sediment. Following an engine run-up, the pilot took off.
During the climb, at approximately 400 feet above the ground, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot switched the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank, which allowed the engine to produce some power, though it could not reach full power. The pilot decided to land at a nearby unlighted airstrip. While on the base leg of the approach, the airplane impacted a tree while the engine was still running. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
A post-flight inspection of the aircraft revealed no mechanical malfunctions. However, investigators discovered corrosion and severe pitting inside the fuel bowl.