Incident Details
The cargo flight departed with 64 gallons of fuel on board, with approximately 15 gallons in the right main tank designated for the first leg of the roughly 170-mile round trip. The flight included two intermediate stops. About 30 minutes into the flight, while approximately 5 miles south of the first intended landing airport, the pilot encountered a snow squall. To maintain visual reference with the ground, he descended to 500 feet mean sea level (MSL) over a bay.
Pilot Account
While flying over the bay, the pilot initiated a steep 180-degree left turn because of rising terrain ahead. During the turn, the engine lost all power. After rolling out on the reverse heading, he switched fuel tanks and attempted to restart the engine, but the attempt was unsuccessful. The pilot then ditched the airplane in the relatively calm waters of a cove.
Rescue and Recovery
The pilot was rescued by the crew of a fishing boat that witnessed the ditching. The airplane was subsequently recovered, and maintenance personnel successfully ran the engine after recovery.