Primary finding
Probable cause
Water contaminated fuel which resulted in the loss of engine power and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The day before the accident the airplane lost power inflight due to fuel exhaustion and it was force landed in a field. The next day, a different pilot refueled the airplane with six gallons of fuel in each tank. The pilot stated he checked the fuel at the three drain locations. He towed the airplane up a hill, and attempted to takeoff. Shortly after lift off, the engine lost power, and the pilot did a force landing. The landing was on soft terrain and the nose gear collapsed, causing the airplane to nose down. The on scene investigation disclosed the fuel in the carburetor was contaminated with water. The examination also disclosed the fuel strainer was inoperative.
Source record
Factual narrative
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