What happened
The pilot was performing fish spotting flights in a remote location when the aircraft experienced an engine failure. While circling to the left at approximately 600 feet above the water, the engine coughed several times and subsequently lost all power. In an attempt to restore power, the pilot switched between fuel tanks multiple times, but the engine failed to restart.
The pilot performed a ditching in the water approximately 50 yards from the beach. Following the touchdown, the aircraft nosed over. The pilot was not injured during the event.
At the time of the incident, the pilot reported that the left fuel tank indicated 1/3 capacity while the right tank was near empty. Although the pilot had operated the aircraft with the fuel selector in the 'BOTH' position and estimated having 1.5 hours of fuel remaining, post-recovery inspections showed the left tank contained 15 gallons of fuel and the right tank contained 5 gallons.
The investigation
An examination of the engine was conducted, noting that it had flown approximately 30 hours since its last overhaul. The inspection did not reveal any mechanical malfunction within the engine.