What happened
During the initial climb phase, approximately 300 feet above ground level, the aircraft's engine suffered a complete loss of power. In an attempt to restore engine function, the pilot engaged the electric fuel pump and manipulated the fuel selector valve multiple times. Despite these efforts, the engine failed to restart, forcing the pilot to execute an emergency landing into a group of trees.
Following the event, investigations into the fuel system were conducted. The pilot indicated to authorities that the fuel selector might have been set to a tank that was empty at the time of departure. While the fuel gauges had shown a quarter-tank of fuel remaining, the pilot could not confirm which tank was active during takeoff. A passenger on board noted that no fuel odors or visible leaks were present during the emergency, and mentioned a previous instance where the engine had restarted after switching tanks following fuel exhaustion.
Findings
An inspection of the wreckage by an FAA official determined that the fuel selector was set to the right tank. While the right tank still contained some fuel, the left tank had been ruptured. The pilot's statements suggested that the fuel selector may have been positioned to an empty tank during the takeoff sequence. Notably, a successful engine test-run was completed following the accident.