On February 28, 2001, about 1830 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-38-112, N2542A, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from the North Central Airport, Lincoln, Rhode Island. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) received minor injuries and the student pilot was not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the CFI, the airplane had departed from Runway 34. As the airplane was climbing through 75 feet above the ground, the engine began to "sputter." Climbing through 100 feet, the engine suddenly quit. The CFI turned the airplane towards the airport in an attempt to make it back to the runway. Realizing that the airplane would not make the runway, the CFI stalled the airplane into the treetops, where it came to rest, suspended by the tree limbs about 20 feet above the ground. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector after it was recovered from the trees, revealed absence of fuel in the mechanical fuel pump, gascolator, and carburetor. Examination of the wreckage by a Rhode Island Airport Corporation inspector revealed that the mixture control was in the "full rich" position, the fuel selector was positioned to the right fuel tank, and the fuel boost pump switch was "on." Fuel was observed in the fuel line located between the gascolator and electric fuel pump. When the engine primer was "pumped," fuel was observed draining from a primer injector located at an engine cylinder. When maintenance personnel examined the electric fuel pump, no fuel was present in the pump housing. When electrical power was applied to the pump, an air leak was observed at the fuel line connection on the "suction side" of the pump. After the fuel line was secured back on to the pump, the starter was engaged, and the engine was started. The engine ran for "a few minutes," and a magneto check was performed. No abnormalities with the ignition system were noted, and with all engine instruments indicating normal operation, the engine was shut down. The airplane's last 100-hour inspection was completed on February 24, 2001. The airplane had accumulated about 8 hours in service since the inspection. Attempts to obtain the aircraft maintenance logbooks from either the operator or the recovery company, by Safety Board personnel, were unsuccessful. According to the Piper PA-38-112 Maintenance Manual periodic inspections section, a mechanic was to perform an inspection of all the flexible fuel lines, inspect the fuel system for leaks, and clean the screen and check the operation of the electric fuel pump. The airplane was last fueled on the day of the accident, at 1830, with 8.7 gallons of "AVGAS."