Summary
During the initial climb at 100 feet above ground level, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power as a result of contaminated fuel. The pilot performed a straight-ahead landing on the remaining runway, but the airplane overran the runway and collided with rough, uneven terrain beyond the runway end. The impact tore off the left main landing gear and damaged the left wing. A postaccident inspection of the fuel system found more than a pint of water drained from the gascolator and fuel tanks.
Incident Details
The power loss occurred shortly after takeoff while the airplane was climbing through approximately 100 feet above ground level. The engine failure was attributed to contaminated fuel. With limited altitude and runway remaining, the pilot executed a forced landing straight ahead. The airplane touched down on the remaining runway surface but was unable to stop before the runway end. It subsequently ran off the runway and struck the rough, uneven terrain beyond. The collision with the terrain caused the left main landing gear to separate from the airframe and resulted in structural damage to the left wing.
Postaccident Findings
Following the accident, investigators examined the airplane's fuel system. The inspection revealed that more than a pint of water was present in the fuel system components, including the gascolator and the fuel tanks. The presence of water in the fuel is consistent with the loss of engine power due to contaminated fuel. No other pre-impact anomalies were reported.