What happened
The flight began with the pilot refueling the airplane from a portable five-gallon container just before departure. During the initial climb phase after completing a banner pickup, the engine suffered a sudden loss of power. Witnesses observed the aircraft execute a right turn, which led to an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with the ground.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft focused on the fuel system. Inspectors checked the fuel sump drain located at the aft section of the fuel tank. The test revealed that the fuel contained significant water contamination, which likely restricted flow or caused engine flameout.
Findings
The primary factor in this accident was water contamination in the fuel. The use of a portable container for refueling may have introduced moisture into the system. This contamination resulted in fuel exhaustion or starvation during a critical phase of flight, leaving the pilot with insufficient time to recover from the resulting power loss.