What happened
During a repositioning flight following a 100-hour inspection, a pilot was maneuvering a float-equipped aircraft to its mooring site. Approximately two minutes after departure, the pilot reported a loss of engine power. In response to the power loss, the pilot selected a small pond as a forced landing site.
Upon touchdown on the pond, the aircraft collided with the shoreline and nosed over. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the left wing, right wing lift strut, empennage, and fuselage. There were no fatalities reported in the incident.
The investigation
A post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that the fuel selector handle had been incorrectly reinstalled during the recent 100-hour inspection. Specifically, when the fuel tank selector handle was set to the "Both" position, it actually cut off the fuel supply.
Investigators found slight wear on both the keyed cog of the fuel selector valve handle (the female receptacle) and the fuel selector valve connection point (the male receptacle). The combined wear patterns allowed the fuel selector handle to be installed 180 degrees from its correct orientation. Testing confirmed that when a new fuel selector valve handle was fitted, it could only be installed in the correct position.