Incident Overview
During cruise flight, the engine of a single-engine aircraft sustained a loss of power. The pilot executed the required emergency procedures but was unable to restart the engine. Subsequently, the pilot elected to ditch the airplane into the Pacific Ocean approximately 2 miles offshore. After the pilot was rescued, the airplane sank to a depth of 20 feet.
Recovery and Examination
The airplane was later retrieved. Both wings and their respective fuel systems were found intact. The left wing fuel tank was empty, while the right wing contained a mixture of about 15 gallons of fuel and ocean water. The fuel selector valve handle was selected to the right tank; however, the valve itself was positioned toward the left tank. Examination of the fuel selector valve shaft revealed it to be rounded.
Maintenance History
An annual inspection had been performed 16 flight hours before the accident.