What happened
During a preflight inspection of the aircraft, the pilots observed fuel levels via the wing tank sight gauges, believing the left tank was full and the right tank was one-half full. The cockpit fuel selector was set to the left fuel tank. After taxiing to the departure runway and completing an engine run-up and magneto check, the aircraft departed to the north.
As the flight climbed to approximately 200 feet, the engine lost power and ceased operation. While the pilot attempted to turn back toward the runway, the right wing struck a tree and subsequently impacted the ground.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that only approximately two quarts of fuel remained in the left fuel tank, while about 7 gallons were recovered from the right fuel tank. Investigators confirmed the cockpit fuel selector was positioned on the left fuel tank. During a functional check of the engine, the engine started and operated without difficulty, idling for several minutes without any noted discrepancies.