What happened
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot transitioned the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank. Within moments of this action, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to rectify the situation by switching the fuel selector back to the left tank, but the engine failed to restart.
As a result of the power loss, the pilot performed a forced landing on a beach. The approach speed during this maneuver was described as being slightly fast. Upon completing the landing and applying the brakes, the aircraft nosed over. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
During the investigation, the pilot noted that he may have inadvertently shut off the fuel supply. He also reported that the fuel selector handle and the indicator pointer were not aligned with one another.
A review of maintenance records indicated that the aircraft had complied with AD 60-10-08, an Airworthiness Directive issued by the FAA in 1960 which requires inspection of the fuel selector valve to ensure proper alignment between the handle and the pointer. Additionally, an FAA airworthiness inspector examined the aircraft and determined that the fuel selector was operating correctly.