What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) During the preflight, the pilot did not visually look into the fuel tanks. He said that he turned the master switch on, and the fuel gauges indicated approximately one half full. During the takeoff roll, he raised the nose wheel quickly to keep the prop out of the dirt. He said that he performed a steeper then normal climb-out, and then turned left continuing the steep climb. He said the engine stopped, and the metal propeller stopped turning. A pilot/mechanic said that if a steep climbing departure turn is performed by a pilot, and the airplane is only partially fueled, unporting of the fuel lines in the wing tanks is possible, resulting in fuel starvation to the engine. No preimpact engine or airframe anomalies, which might have affected the airplane's performance, were identified. Pilot training manuals caution the pilot to visually look into fuel tanks during preflight and not to rely on cockpit fuel gauges. (-23) aircraft departed from Private airstrip near Brighton, CO. Aircraft lost power on takeoff and attempted to return. Aircraft crashed causing substantial damage and serious injury to the pilot and sole occupant.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) DURING THE PREFLIGHT, THE PILOT DID NOT VISUALLY LOOK INTO THE FUEL TANKS. HE SAID THAT HE TURNED THE MASTER SWITCH ON, AND THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF FULL. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, HE RAISED THE NOSE WHEEL QUICKLY TO KEEP THE PROP OUT OF THE DIRT. HE SAID THAT HE PERFORMED A STEEPER THEN NORMAL CLIMB-OUT, AND THEN TURNED LEFT CONTINUING THE STEEP CLIMB. HE SAID THE ENGINE STOPPED, AND THE METAL PROPELLER STOPPED TURNING. A PILOT/MECHANIC SAID THAT IF A STEEP CLIMBING DEPARTURE TURN IS PERFORMED BY A PILOT, AND THE AIRPLANE IS ONLY PARTIALLY FUELED, UNPORTING OF THE FUEL LINES IN THE WING TANKS IS POSSIBLE, RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE. NO PREIMPACT ENGINE OR AIRFRAME ANOMALIES, WHICH MIGHT HAVE AFFECTED THE AIRPLANE'S PERFORMANCE, WERE IDENTIFIED. PILOT TRAINING MANUALS CAUTION THE PILOT TO VISUALLY LOOK INTO FUEL TANKS DURING PREFLIGHT AND NOT TO RELY ON COCKPIT FUEL GAUGES. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR BRIGHTON, CO. AIRCRAFT LOST POWER ON TAKEOFF AND ATTEMPTED TO RETURN. AIRCRAFT CRASHED CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND SERIOUS INJURY TO THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.