What happened
The accident occurred during a touch-and-go landing attempt. Shortly after the aircraft lifted off from the runway, the engine failed. The pilot managed to return to the paved surface and landed safely on the runway itself. However, the remaining distance was insufficient to bring the aircraft to a complete stop before it passed the departure end of runway 31. The aircraft continued forward, running off the pavement and nosing over into an adjacent ditch.
The investigation
A physical examination of the wreckage was conducted to determine the mechanical cause of the failure. Inspections revealed visible contaminants located within both the fuel filter and the carburetor bowl. While an undisclosed amount of fuel was found remaining in the system, the presence of foreign material in the critical fuel flow components was noted as a significant finding.
Findings
The investigation identified fuel contamination as the primary factor leading to the engine failure. The contaminants obstructed proper fuel delivery, causing the powerplant to stop during the critical phase of flight. This mechanical failure directly resulted in the loss of control and the subsequent runway excursion.