Incident
During the base leg of an approach for a full-stop landing, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot determined that the power loss was due to fuel starvation. The pilot repositioned the fuel selector, but the engine did not restart. Unable to land at the airport, the pilot ditched the aircraft. After impact, the aircraft nosed over.
Investigation
The aircraft was recovered for examination. The left fuel tank, which was full, was drained and found to contain 5-10 gallons of fuel; the remainder was water. The right fuel tank, also full, was drained and found to contain water; no fuel was present. The fuel selector was positioned to the left tank at the time of the incident. The engine was examined and no evidence of failure or malfunction was found.