Incident Details
An aircraft experienced a loss of power while on final approach to land. The aircraft subsequently made contact with a fence short of the runway and nosed over. The pilot had omitted checking the fuel with a fuel strainer during preflight because he did not have one.
Fuel Contamination
Examination of the fuel revealed that it contained a mixture of aviation gasoline (AVGAS) and automotive gasoline. According to an FBO representative, the gasoline truck operator sometimes uses the truck to haul automotive fuel and is supposed to use the front tank only for that purpose. The truck has three compartments; the rear tank is designated for AVGAS. However, the truck operator had placed automotive fuel in the rear tank, leading to contamination.
Carburetor Issue
During inspection, the carburetor was found to have a loose screw that could affect the air metering system. The presence of this loose screw may have been related to the power loss, but no causal link is stated in the source.
Preflight Omission
The pilot did not perform a fuel check with a strainer because one was not available. The omission of this check meant that any contamination or improper fuel type in the system was not detected before flight.
The aircraft sustained damage from the fence contact and the nose-over. No further details are provided regarding occupants or injuries.