Incident Overview
A pilot was flying an aircraft that had been parked for approximately eight months. According to the pilot, the engine had previously been cutting out due to water in the fuel tanks, but he believed that issue had been resolved. During the final approach for landing, the engine began to miss and subsequently lost power. The pilot activated the boost pump, but it had no effect on restoring engine operation.
Forced Landing
With the engine inoperative, the pilot executed a forced landing. During this maneuver, the aircraft collided with trees short of the runway. The pilot survived the accident and stated that there was no doubt the engine lost power due to water in the fuel.
Pilot Statement
The pilot explicitly attributed the power loss to water contamination in the fuel system. No further official determination or analysis from an investigating authority was provided in the source material.