Denver died because he was a stupid pilot, not because of the airplane.
The fuel selector was behind him, and he was low on fuel, and doing practice touch and goes on a sea side airport with rock cliffs below.
The fuel selector had a broken handle, and he borrowed a pair of vice grips from the airport to turn the handle. The airplane ran out of fuel in one tank and the engine stopped just after take off. The engine never restarted, and the assumption is that he couldn't get the vice grips to turn the handle that was behind him in time.
He should have fixed the handle. And he should have not allowed a tank to run dry in the pattern, particularly at such a dangerous airport location.
Stupid pilot, not a problem with the airplane.
I know absolutely nothing about aviation apart from what I read here, but given that several Freepers seem to have known the person involved maybe we should save the debate for a later time and place.
Seems he was careless-- so was JFK Jr.
http://www.avweb.com/news/safety/183015-1.html
PROBABLE CAUSE
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause of this accident was the pilot's diversion of attention from the operation of the airplane and his inadvertent application of right rudder that resulted in the loss of airplane control while attempting to manipulate the fuel selector handle. Also, the Board determines that the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparations, specifically his failure to refuel the airplane, was causal. The Board determines that the builder's decision to locate the unmarked fuel selector handle in a hard-to-access position, unmarked fuel quantity sight gauges, inadequate transition training by the pilot, and his lack of total experience in this type of airplane were factors in this accident.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
On October 13, 1997, the Monterey County Medical Examiner performed an autopsy on the pilot. According to the report, the cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma. During the examination, samples were obtained for toxicological analysis by the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Tests were negative for all screened drugs and Ethanol.