Accident Sequence
The flight departed under visual flight rules. Shortly after becoming airborne, the engine lost power. The pilot lost directional control, and the aircraft crashed into an adjacent orange grove off the left side of the runway. The impact point was abeam a location about three-quarters of the way down the 3,000-foot runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the pilot received minor injuries.
Postcrash Examination
A postcrash examination of the aircraft revealed that the right wing contained no fuel and was the fuel source selected on the fuel selector. The left wing was nearly full. Examination of the engine's fuel injection distribution block found no fuel present. A subsequent engine run test demonstrated the engine was fully operational.
Preflight Fuel Check
The pilot performed a visual check of fuel the evening prior to the early morning departure. He noted 26 gallons of fuel in the right wing tank and 32 gallons in the left wing tank. The pilot did not perform a visual check of fuel as part of his preflight walk-around inspection on the morning of the accident.