Accident Sequence
The pilot/owner and a pilot-rated passenger flew to a local airport for a brief stop, then continued to another nearby airport where the passenger performed a touch-and-go takeoff. During the climb out after the touch-and-go, the pilot began a slight right turn when the engine lost power at approximately 250 feet above ground level (agl). The owner pilot took control, turned back to the left, and attempted to land on the remaining runway. He leveled off slightly at about 20 feet agl and then flared for landing.
Hard Landing and Damage
The airplane landed hard on the north side of the runway, causing the right wheel to break off. The landing gear subsequently dug into the turf, and the airplane spun 180 degrees, collapsing the right main landing gear. The airframe around the tail wheel and rudder sustained substantial damage.
Fuel System Configuration
According to the owner, the airplane was equipped with a header tank that served as the sole fuel supply for the engine, in addition to wing tanks that supplied the header tank. An electric fuel pump was used to manually transfer fuel from the wing tanks to the header tank. The owner stated that he typically does not allow the header tank to drop below half full because the fuel pick-up port for the engine-driven pump is located at the front of the tank.
Pilot Statements
The owner indicated that he probably allowed the fuel level in the header tank to become too low during this flight. During the climb out with the nose elevated, he surmised that the header tank fuel pick-up became unported, leading to a loss of engine power.