Incident
During the descent for landing at the conclusion of a cross-country flight, the airplane's engine lost power. The aircraft was unable to reach the airport, and the pilot executed an emergency landing on a beach.
Post-Accident Observations
Following the landing, it was noted that several gallons of fuel drained from the right wing's quick drain before the drain was plugged approximately 30 minutes later. The right wing had sustained impact damage. In contrast, the left wing remained intact. When fuel was drained from the left fuel tank, it revealed that one-half gallon of fuel remained.
Engine Inspection
An inspection of the engine found no evidence to indicate a mechanical failure or malfunction.
Pilot Recall
The pilot could not recall which fuel tank the fuel selector was positioned to prior to the loss of power.