What happened
While performing advertising banner towing at 1,000 feet AGL, the pilot departed from a private airport and proceeded toward the beach. Upon reaching the coast, the pilot turned to a heading of 250 degrees and descended to 500 feet AGL. During the flight, the pilot switched the fuel source to the right tank, which was reported as full, at which point the engine experienced a power failure. The pilot attempted to switch back to the left fuel tank but was unable to restore engine power. Consequently, the pilot performed a forced landing into approximately two feet of water. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the tail section and airframe structure.
The investigation
An FAA inspector examined the aircraft and determined that at the time of departure from the private airport, the left fuel tank contained 5 gallons of fuel, while the right tank contained 18 gallons. The investigation found that the engine stalled specifically when the pilot switched tanks. Although the pilot attempted to restart the engine, these efforts were unsuccessful because the engine was not equipped with an electric starter and had ceased windmilling. No mechanical defects or other mechanical problems were reported by the pilot or identified during the post-accident inspection.