What happened
Before departing, the pilot replenished both fuel tanks with 33.13 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. Following takeoff, the pilot observed that the cockpit fuel quantity gauges indicated approximately 3/4 tank capacity, despite the pilot and passenger having visually confirmed the tanks were full.
Prior to returning to the destination airport, the pilot elected to perform a touch-and-go landing at an intermediate airport. During the subsequent climb out, the engine sputtered and experienced a total loss of power. The Cessna (type not specified in source) impacted the terrain and came to rest upright on its belly off the end of the runway. There were no fatalities reported.
The investigation
Upon inspection by airport personnel, it was discovered that the left fuel tank contained approximately four inches of fuel, while the right fuel tank was empty. The fuel selector was found in the position for the left tank. A test run of the engine performed on the aircraft revealed no anomalies.