What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N230A a Super 18 LLC aircraft piloted by private pilot privacy data omitted flew the aircraft with his wife as a passenger from his private strip from brandon, SD to a stubble field 3.5 miles south of Humboldt, SD. Just prior to take off, privacy data omitted put 5 gallons of auto fuel in the left wing and 5 gallons in the right wing of his aircraft. He further stated that the fuel selector was in the left tank position. The flight was uneventful from brandon, SD to landing at the stubble field 3.5 miles south of Humboldt, SD, where a threshing bee was being held.
While at the threshing bee it rained heavy according to privacy data omitted and they canceled the show. privacy data omitted Sumped the gascolator for water then selected the fuel lever to both tanks and took off from the stubble field. During take-off the engine quit restarted and quit again, forcing him to make an emergency landing in a corn field causing substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot and passenger escaped without injury.
privacy data omitted Believes that there was water in the right wing fuel tank. When he switched the fuel lever from the left tank to both tanks, he ended up with water contamination in the fuel causing the engine to quit.
Above statement made by privacy data omitted to inspector mark c. goodwin on 8/12/2013.
As the FAA filed it
N230A A SUPER 18 LLC AIRCRAFT PILOTED BY PRIVATE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLEW THE AIRCRAFT WITH HIS WIFE AS A PASSENGER FROM HIS PRIVATE STRIP FROM BRANDON, SD TO A STUBBLE FIELD 3.5 MILES SOUTH OF HUMBOLDT, SD. JUST PRIOR TO TAKE OFF, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PUT 5 GALLONS OF AUTO FUEL IN THE LEFT WING AND 5 GALLONS IN THE RIGHT WING OF HIS AIRCRAFT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE LEFT TANK POSITION. THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL FROM BRANDON, SD TO LANDING AT THE STUBBLE FIELD 3.5 MILES SOUTH OF HUMBOLDT, SD, WHERE A THRESHING BEE WAS BEING HELD.
WHILE AT THE THRESHING BEE IT RAINED HEAVY ACCORDING TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND THEY CANCELED THE SHOW. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUMPED THE GASCOLATOR FOR WATER THEN SELECTED THE FUEL LEVER TO BOTH TANKS AND TOOK OFF FROM THE STUBBLE FIELD. DURING TAKE-OFF THE ENGINE QUIT RESTARTED AND QUIT AGAIN, FORCING HIM TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A CORN FIELD CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER ESCAPED WITHOUT INJURY.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BELIEVES THAT THERE WAS WATER IN THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK. WHEN HE SWITCHED THE FUEL LEVER FROM THE LEFT TANK TO BOTH TANKS, HE ENDED UP WITH WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL CAUSING THE ENGINE TO QUIT.
ABOVE STATEMENT MADE BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO INSPECTOR MARK C. GOODWIN ON 8/12/2013.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.