What happened
The airplane departed from the airport with the main fuel tanks indicating approximately half full and the auxiliary fuel tanks indicating full. The pilot did not verify the indications of the fuel quantity gauges prior to departure. During the flight, the aircraft performed a touch-and-go landing. Following this maneuver, while climbing, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion.
The airplane touched down near the end of the runway and rolled across a field before striking a fence. It ultimately came to rest in a ditch. The pilot did not sustain any injuries during the incident.
The investigation
Investigation revealed that the accident type of airplane requires takeoffs and landings to be performed with fuel being drawn from the main fuel tanks. In this specific aircraft configuration, the auxiliary tanks are not used for immediate engine feed during these phases of flight. Because the pilot failed to verify the fuel quantity gauges and did not account for the fuel consumption from the main tanks, the engine ran dry.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this accident was fuel exhaustion. The pilot's failure to verify the fuel quantity gauges and the incorrect management of fuel tank selection led to the loss of engine power. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the airframe.