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We present ground-based and \textit{Swift} observations of iPTF16fnl, alikely tidal disruption event (TDE) discovered by the intermediate PalomarTransient Factory (iPTF) survey at 66.6 Mpc. The lightcurve of the objectpeaked at absolute $M_g=-17.2$ mag. The maximum bolometric luminosity (fromoptical and UV) was $L_p~\simeq~(1.0\,\pm\,0.15) \times 10^{43}$ erg/s, anorder of magnitude fainter than any other optical TDE discovered so far. Theluminosity in the first 60 days is consistent with an exponential decay, with$L \propto e^{-(t-t_0)/\tau}$, where $t_0$=~57631.0 (MJD) and $\tau\simeq 15$days. The X-ray shows a marginal detection at $L_X=2.4^{1.9}_{-1.1}\times10^{39}$ erg/s (\textit{Swift} X-ray Telescope). No radio counterpart wasdetected down to 3$\sigma$, providing upper limits for monochromatic radioluminosity of $\nu L_{\nu} < 2.3\times10^{36}$ erg/s and $\nu L_{\nu}<1.7\times10^{37}$ erg/s (VLA, 6.1 and 22 GHz). The blackbody temperature, obtained fromcombined \textit{Swift} UV and optical photometry, shows a constant value of19,000 K. The transient spectrum at peak is characterized by broad He II andH$\alpha$ emission lines, with an FWHM of about 14,000 km/s and 10,000 km/srespectively. He I lines are also detected at $\lambda\lambda$ 5875 and 6678.The spectrum of the host is dominated by strong Balmer absorption lines, whichare consistent with a post-starburst (E+A) galaxy with an age of $\sim$650 Myrand solar metallicity. The characteristics of iPTF16fnl make it an outlier onboth luminosity and decay timescales, as compared to other optically selectedTDEs. The discovery of such a faint optical event suggests a higher rate oftidal disruptions, as low luminosity events may have gone unnoticed in previoussearches.

iPTF16fnl: a faint and fast tidal disruption event in an E+A galaxy