Flight and Incident
The pilot reported that after departure, as the airplane climbed through 500 feet, the engine sputtered and subsequently lost power. The pilot adjusted the pitch for best glide and turned back toward the airport. An attempted engine restart was unsuccessful, leading to a forced landing at a construction site.
Fuel Quantity Reports
Initially, the pilot stated that he departed with 6 gallons of fuel in the left tank and 16 gallons in the right tank. In a later statement, he revised the figures to 9 gallons in the left tank and 20 gallons in the right tank. When salvage personnel recovered the airplane, they drained 16 gallons of fuel from the right wing and approximately 1 cup of fuel from the left wing.
Aircraft Damage
During the forced landing, the airplane touched down in rough terrain. The landing gear sheared off, the left wing sustained an upward bend at the wing root, and the fuselage was wrinkled.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel tanks were intact and the fuel lines were not compromised. No fuel was found in the entire engine fuel system forward of the fuel selector.