Accident Sequence
The airplane was conducting its first flight after undergoing maintenance that followed a prior accident in which the aircraft had been submerged. During the climb after takeoff, the engine began to lose power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a river. However, the airplane stalled and struck the water in a nose-down attitude, then sank.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the accident, a test run of the engine was performed, revealing no anomalies. Inspection of the fuel injector distributor valve disclosed the presence of fuel and water emerging from beneath the diaphragm. Examination of the left wing showed inward and upward crushing damage to the leading edge, starting at the wing root and extending outward. The wing fuel bladder was inspected and found to contain five wrinkles, each approximately 8 to 12 inches in length and 1/4 inch high, extending outward from the wing root.
Regulatory Background
An airworthiness directive (AD) had been issued in 1986 to address potential power loss or engine stoppage caused by water contamination of the fuel system. The AD specifically targeted the possibility of trapped water in the wing fuel bladder due to wrinkles. This AD was complied with in 1989.