On December 21, 2000, at 1556 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 177RG, N2102Q, lost power and landed short of the runway while on approach to San Carlos Airport, San Carlos, California. The airplane sustained substantial damage; however, the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a supervised solo instructional flight by the pilot/owner under 14 CFR Part 91. The return leg of a round-robin flight to the Tracy airport, Tracy, California, originated about 1526. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he had flown to the Tracy airport to practice touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. On his return leg, he had reached the traffic pattern at San Carlos, when the tower operator asked him to extend his downwind. He said that he slowed in order to maintain spacing by reducing power; however, when he reapplied the throttle the engine quit. He made a forced landing in the Belmont slough, about 1.5 miles from the end of the runway. After touchdown, the airplane nosed over, coming to rest in shallow water. The FAA inspector reported the throttle, mixture, and propeller was found in the full forward position. The fuel selector was found in the "off" position. There were no anomalies reported with any of the engine controls, cable, or linkages. The pilot stated that the airplane had been filled with aviation fuel prior to his departure from San Carlos en route to Tracy. Recovery personnel reported that although the airplane was inverted and slowly losing fuel when they arrived, the fuel level was found to be within an inch of the tabs in both tanks. After recovery, the airplane was righted and the engine was supplied with fuel and electrical power. The engine was then successfully started and ran roughly after about 45 minutes.