Incident Overview
During the initial climb after takeoff, the aircraft's engine abruptly and completely lost power when the aircraft was approximately 200 feet above ground level. Witnesses reported that the aircraft continued ahead until its nose pitched up once or twice. Subsequently, the left wing dropped, and the aircraft descended into the shallow water of a lake.
Fuel Selector Position
Following the incident, the fuel selector was found positioned to the left auxiliary tank. In an interview, the pilot acknowledged that he had not checked the selector position before takeoff as required by the aircraft checklist. He stated that he had inadvertently departed with the fuel selector positioned to the empty auxiliary tank.
Sequence of Events
The loss of engine power occurred at a critical point in the flight, shortly after departure. The aircraft's nose pitching up and left wing drop were observed by witnesses before the aircraft fell into the lake. The shallow water of the lake cushioned the impact, but the aircraft sustained damage from the event.