What happened
The accident occurred while the aircraft was departing from a bay located approximately 50 miles east of Seldovia, Alaska. During the initial climb phase immediately after takeoff, the engine ceased operation at an altitude of 50 feet above mean sea level. The pilot initiated an emergency water landing in the bay. Upon impact with the water surface, the aircraft nosed over and came to rest on its back.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft's engine was conducted to determine the cause of the power loss. The inspection revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure within the engine components. This finding indicated that the engine had not suffered a catastrophic internal breakdown prior to stopping.
Findings
The investigation focused on the operational details surrounding the flight. Records and pilot statements indicated that the pilot had departed with 18 gallons of fuel in the tanks approximately 1.5 hours before the incident. The absence of mechanical failure, combined with the elapsed time since departure and the nature of the engine stoppage, strongly suggests that the aircraft ran out of usable fuel during the climb.
Safety message
Pilots must ensure adequate fuel reserves are calculated for all phases of flight, including takeoff and initial climb. Pre-flight fuel quantity checks should be verified against the expected duration of the flight to prevent fuel exhaustion. Proper planning is essential to avoid power loss in critical flight regimes.