What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted Fueled the aircraft at his ranch and took off from the gravel road infront of his ranch. During climbout the aircraft lost power and crashed into a hayfield next to the road. An interview with the pilot revealed that approx a year ago he had bought a used service tank to keep at his ranch for the purpose of fueling his aircraft. The tank had not been used in that time due to the aircraft being down for maintenance. Inspection of the remaining aircraft fuel (tank and carburator) as well as the service tank filter system showed large amounts of water and other contaminants. The pilot stated he fueled the aircraft from the ranch service tank and did not sump the aircraft tanks prior to departure. Propeller damage indicated little or no power at impact.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FUELED THE AIRCRAFT AT HIS RANCH AND TOOK OFF FROM THE GRAVEL ROAD INFRONT OF HIS RANCH. DURING CLIMBOUT THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND CRASHED INTO A HAYFIELD NEXT TO THE ROAD. AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT REVEALED THAT APPROX A YEAR AGO HE HAD BOUGHT A USED SERVICE TANK TO KEEP AT HIS RANCH FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUELING HIS AIRCRAFT. THE TANK HAD NOT BEEN USED IN THAT TIME DUE TO THE AIRCRAFT BEING DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE. INSPECTION OF THE REMAINING AIRCRAFT FUEL (TANK AND CARBURATOR) AS WELL AS THE SERVICE TANK FILTER SYSTEM SHOWED LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS. THE PILOT STATED HE FUELED THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE RANCH SERVICE TANK AND DID NOT SUMP THE AIRCRAFT TANKS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. PROPELLER DAMAGE INDICATED LITTLE OR NO POWER AT IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.