Primary finding
Probable cause
Power loss due to water contaminated fuel. A factor was: unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The airplane, with an instructor and student pilot aboard, was full of fuel when they took off for an instructional flight. After 45 minutes, they turned back and when they were about 3 miles from the airport, the engine began to run rough and rpm dropped steadily from full power to a complete power loss. Attempts to restore power were unsuccessful. A forced landing was made in deep snow and the airplane nosed over. The engine was later functionally tested and it operated satisfactorily. The operator said the airplane had not flown recently and there had been a substantial snow fall. He suspected the fuel may have been contaminated with water.
Source record
Factual narrative
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