LAX87LA163

Factual narrative

AFTER TAKE-OFF, THE PILOT WAS FLYING A DOWNWIND DEPARTURE WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN A HALF MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT FOUND THAT THE MAIN FUEL LINE TO THE CARBURETOR CONTAINED NO FUEL. THE LEFT TIP TANK WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN A QUARTER OF A TANK OF FUEL, THE LEFT MAIN WAS THREE QUARTERS FULL, THE RIGHT MAIN WAS FULL AND THE RIGHT TIP WAS EMPTY. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS FLYING ON THE LEFT MAIN. THERE WAS NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES NOTED AT THAT TIME. THE ENGINE WAS THEN RUN FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AT DIFFERENT POWER SETTINGS, THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS NOTED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12