Engine Power Loss After Touch-and-Go Leads to Hard Landing (N472GF)

Incident Details

During a touch-and-go landing, the airplane climbed steeply to approximately 250 feet above ground level when the engine suddenly lost all power. The pilot subsequently performed a hard landing back on the runway.

Pilot Statement

The pilot reported that he had washed the airplane and steam-cleaned the engine prior to the flight. His intention was to fly around the traffic pattern a few times to dry off the components. He stated that the airplane's fuel tanks contained about 7 gallons of fuel at the time of the incident.

Investigation Findings

During the post-incident examination, water was found mixed with the fuel in the gascolator, a component that separates water and sediment from the fuel system.