What happened
During takeoff on runway 14, at an altitude of 200 feet above ground level, the engine experienced a sudden loss of power, behaving as if the throttle had been pulled to the idle position. The pilot maintained a glide speed of 65 miles per hour and attempted to restore power by switching from the right fuel tank to the left and applying carburetor heat. Although the engine briefly regained power and the aircraft climbed back to 200 feet, the loss of power recurred as the pilot turned back toward the runway. Consequently, the pilot ditched the unspecified aircraft into a lake.
The investigation
Following the recovery of the aircraft from the lake, an FAA examination revealed several mechanical issues. The left fuel tank was found to be empty and damaged, while the fuel selector was set to the left tank. Additionally, the carburetor was discovered to be cracked in half. The right fuel tank contained what appeared to be a mixture of fuel and water. Meteorological data from the nearest reporting station indicated that weather conditions were conducive to carburetor ice formation, noting an outside air temperature of 70 degrees and a dew point of 64 degrees.