What happened
During the initial climb phase following takeoff, the engine of the aircraft abruptly and completely lost power while the aircraft was approximately 200 feet above ground level. According to witness reports, the aircraft continued forward on its flight path until the nose pitched up one or two times. Subsequently, the left wing dropped, causing the aircraft to descend into the shallow water of a lake.
Findings
Post-accident examination revealed that the fuel selector was positioned to the left auxiliary tank. During an interview, the pilot admitted to failing to verify the position of the fuel selector prior to takeoff as mandated by the aircraft's checklist. The pilot had inadvertently departed with the fuel selector set to the empty auxiliary tank.