What happened
The pilot was performing a series of short flights to transport fishermen from a pond to a nearby seaplose base. After delivering the first group of three passengers, the pilot flew solo back to the pond to collect a second group. Due to weight considerations, the aircraft was carrying limited fuel, with approximately 4 gallons in the left wing tank and 10 gallons in the right wing tank.
During the loading process for the second group, the pilot failed to switch the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank. Following takeoff from the pond, the Cessna U206F reached an altitude of approximately 200 feet above ground level. As the pilot reduced the throttle to 30 inches of manifold pressure, the engine sputtered and lost all power. The pilot attempted to activate the electric fuel pump and switched the fuel selector to the right tank while initiating a right turn back toward the pond. Although the engine regained power as the aircraft began striking trees, the plane impacted the terrain and came to rest in an inverted position. The pilot was not injured.
Findings
The investigation determined that the pilot mismanaged the fuel supply by failing to switch the fuel selector to the tank containing sufficient fuel before takeoff.