What happened
On the day of the accident, a Beech C24R departed from a 3,300-foot turf runway heading north. The flight was the first of the day for both the pilot and the aircraft. Prior to this flight, the pilot had fueled the tanks a few days earlier and had completed only one other flight of approximately 1.5 hours since that time. The pilot estimated that 18 gallons of the 57 gallons of usable fuel had been consumed during that previous flight.
During the preflight inspection, the pilot did not visually check the wing fuel tanks to verify quantities, as the pilot's operating handbook instructs, because he believed he knew the fuel status based on recent activity. The takeoff proceeded normally until the aircraft reached approximately 80 feet above ground level. At that altitude, the pilot experienced a loss of power or loss of airspeed. The aircraft subsequently descended along the runway and impacted the clearway in a wings-level attitude, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. No injuries were reported.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed fuel purchase records and pilot flight logs, which substantiated the pilot's estimate regarding the takeoff fuel load. Although only minimal amounts of fuel were found at the accident site, an examination of the aircraft showed no evidence of preexisting fuel leaks or mechanical anomalies. Following the investigation, the engine was successfully test-run.