Incident Overview
A flight instructor and a student pilot were aboard an amphibious float-equipped airplane during an instructional lesson. After the lesson, while returning to the airport, the student pilot was flying too low while turning base leg of the traffic pattern. The student pilot advanced the throttle to add power, but the engine did not respond.
Instructor Intervention and Landing
The flight instructor took control of the airplane and executed an off-airport landing. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a low-hanging tree limb, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing.
Postaccident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector examined the airplane after the accident. The inspection revealed that the fuel tanks contained less than one gallon of fuel.
Mechanical Status
The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.