Introduction
An airplane that had not been flown for 11 months and had not undergone an annual inspection in 22 months was operated under a special ferry permit issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. The fuel tanks had not been serviced in several months prior to the flight.
Preflight and Maintenance
The pilot performed a preflight inspection with a mechanic. Two days before the flight, the mechanic had inspected the airplane and run the engine for approximately 40 minutes. During that inspection, debris was removed from under the cowling and water was drained from the sumps. On the day of the flight, the pilot found water in the drains and continued draining the sumps and the gascolator until no contamination was observed. The pilot then ran the engine for about 10 minutes.
Flight and Power Loss
A normal takeoff was conducted. At an altitude of 300 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot turned toward a forced landing area. Engine power returned, and the pilot attempted to return to the airport. The engine lost power again, and the pilot attempted a landing on the airport. The airplane touched down on sod, rolled out, and struck a grass knoll.
Post-Accident Findings
Post-accident investigation revealed water and fuel in the fuel lines and 1½ inches of water in the gascolator. The engine was started and ran normally after the accident.