What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 13, 2015 the pilot fueled N7987E adding 10 gallons of 100LL. While fueling the pilot noticed that the fuel did not look right so fueling was discontinued. Further investigation by the pilot revealed that the fuel was contaminated with water. The pilot/mechanic proceeded to drain 2 quarts of water from the right tank and 2 gallons of water from the left tank. The aircraft tail was lowered and the wings were rocked several times and a quart of water was then removed from each wing tank. Both tanks were then topped off with clean fuel and clean fuel samples were sumped from each tank.
On March 24, 2015 the pilot returned to the aircraft and sumped the tanks producing about 3 ounces of water from the left tank and 2 ounces of water from the right tank. The pilot drained about a quart of fuel from the belly drain and fuel strainer with no signs of water and determined that all water had been removed from the aircraft. Prior to departure an engine run-up was performed for about 5 minutes at 2200 RPM and briefly to full throttle with no engine roughness indicated.
After departing runway 36 at about 400' AGL the engine stopped suddenly. The pilot banked left toward a clearing and landed in a wooded area. The pilot walked away from the crash site and was treated with 14 stitches to the forehead and minor cuts on his right hand small finger.
On scene investigation revealed water contamination in both fuel tanks and the aircraft belly sump. About one quart of water was found in the right tank and 2 cups of water was found in the left tank. 2-3 ounces of water was found in the belly sump.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 13, 2015 THE PILOT FUELED N7987E ADDING 10 GALLONS OF 100LL. WHILE FUELING THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL DID NOT LOOK RIGHT SO FUELING WAS DISCONTINUED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY THE PILOT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL WAS CONTAMINATED WITH WATER. THE PILOT/MECHANIC PROCEEDED TO DRAIN 2 QUARTS OF WATER FROM THE RIGHT TANK AND 2 GALLONS OF WATER FROM THE LEFT TANK. THE AIRCRAFT TAIL WAS LOWERED AND THE WINGS WERE ROCKED SEVERAL TIMES AND A QUART OF WATER WAS THEN REMOVED FROM EACH WING TANK. BOTH TANKS WERE THEN TOPPED OFF WITH CLEAN FUEL AND CLEAN FUEL SAMPLES WERE SUMPED FROM EACH TANK.
ON MARCH 24, 2015 THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRCRAFT AND SUMPED THE TANKS PRODUCING ABOUT 3 OUNCES OF WATER FROM THE LEFT TANK AND 2 OUNCES OF WATER FROM THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT DRAINED ABOUT A QUART OF FUEL FROM THE BELLY DRAIN AND FUEL STRAINER WITH NO SIGNS OF WATER AND DETERMINED THAT ALL WATER HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AN ENGINE RUN-UP WAS PERFORMED FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AT 2200 RPM AND BRIEFLY TO FULL THROTTLE WITH NO ENGINE ROUGHNESS INDICATED.
AFTER DEPARTING RUNWAY 36 AT ABOUT 400' AGL THE ENGINE STOPPED SUDDENLY. THE PILOT BANKED LEFT TOWARD A CLEARING AND LANDED IN A WOODED AREA. THE PILOT WALKED AWAY FROM THE CRASH SITE AND WAS TREATED WITH 14 STITCHES TO THE FOREHEAD AND MINOR CUTS ON HIS RIGHT HAND SMALL FINGER.
ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED WATER CONTAMINATION IN BOTH FUEL TANKS AND THE AIRCRAFT BELLY SUMP. ABOUT ONE QUART OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK AND 2 CUPS OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK. 2-3 OUNCES OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE BELLY SUMP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.