Incident Overview
The pilot reported that the flight was uneventful until reaching a point approximately 5 miles northwest of St. Petersburg, Florida. At that location, the pilot contacted the tower to request landing and advised that the aircraft was low on fuel. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power.
Ditching
With the engine no longer operating, the pilot conducted a forced landing, ditching the aircraft in shallow water at night in an inland waterway. No further details about the ditching procedure or the aircraft's condition were provided.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the incident, an examination of the aircraft's fuel system revealed that approximately 4 ounces of fuel remained in the left fuel tank, while the right fuel tank was found empty.