On July 30, 1987, a Grumman G-164 (registration N8102K) operated by Cole & Waldrup Flying Service was involved in an aviation accident near Pope, MS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The engine failure caused by water in the fuel system, which led to an emergency landing and subsequent ground collision with trees after the aircraft nosed over due to braking. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A Piper PA-25 crop duster suffered an engine stoppage during a swath run due to water in the carburetor. The pilot landed in a field, but braking caused the aircraft to nose over and come to rest inverted.
What happened
The pilot was conducting agricultural application operations when he completed one swath pass and began turning back for another. During this maneuver, the engine sputtered and stopped completely. The pilot executed an emergency landing in a field. As the aircraft rolled out on the ground, it approached a line of trees. To avoid impact, the pilot applied the brakes, which caused the nose to pitch down sharply. The aircraft nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position.
The investigation
A post-crash examination of the engine revealed significant contamination. Approximately six ounces of water were found in the carburetor float chamber. This presence of water indicates fuel system contamination, which likely caused the engine malfunction during flight.
Findings
The primary factor leading to this accident was the water contamination within the carburetor. The pilot's decision to apply brakes aggressively during rollout contributed to the nose-over and subsequent inversion of the aircraft.
Probable cause
The engine failure caused by water in the fuel system, which led to an emergency landing and subsequent ground collision with trees after the aircraft nosed over due to braking.