What happened
The pilot conducted a preflight inspection before boarding six passengers for an inter-island passenger transportation flight to a neighboring island located 11 miles away. The departure occurred from an intersection 3,100 feet beyond the runway's beginning, leaving 5,600 feet of available runway ahead.
Seconds after liftoff, the pilot began a right turn away from the runway toward the neighboring island. During the initial climb at an altitude between 200 and 350 feet above the ground, the engine experienced fuel starvation. Unable to return to the runway, the pilot performed a forced landing in high, jungle-like terrain approximately 2,500 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the impact sequence and was subsequently destroyed by a post-impact fire. There were no fatalities among the seven occupants.
The investigation
An examination of the airframe and engine showed no evidence of mechanical malfunction prior to the impact. The pilot reported no issues with flight controls. During the wreckage examination, investigators discovered that the fuel tank selector was set to the left tip tank position. Both the accident pilot and the company's Director of Operations stated that the tip tanks were typically kept empty or nearly empty.
Findings
Investigation findings revealed that the fuel tank selector was positioned to use the tip tank while the tank itself contained no fuel, leading to the engine failure. The Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) specifies that pilots must "Fill tip tanks first; use main tanks first" during the operation of this aircraft type.