On April 19, 1990, a Grumman G-164B (registration N8139K) was involved in an aviation accident near Des Arc, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Engine power loss due to water contamination in the fuel system. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft suffered an in-flight engine power loss shortly after takeoff, attributed to water contamination in the fuel system.
The pilot reported that the aircraft had recently been refueled using fuel that had been stored in a nurse truck throughout the winter. Shortly after initiating takeoff, the engine lost power. The pilot executed an emergency landing in a soft, muddy farm field, which resulted in a nose-over of the aircraft.
A post-accident examination revealed that both the fuel in the nurse truck and the fuel within the aircraft were contaminated with water.
Engine power loss due to water contamination in the fuel system.