Event Overview
The accident occurred when the airplane nosed over during a forced landing in a muddy field following a loss of engine power. The instructor stated they were conducting a flight review for the pilot at the time.
Preflight and Fuel Sumping
After the airplane was fueled, the instructor sumped the tanks and detected water in the right wing. The pilot informed the instructor that he had also found water in the sump during his preflight inspection. The instructor then sumped the tanks three or four times until no water was visible in the samples. Both pilots were confident that no water remained in the fuel tanks and proceeded with the flight.
Events During Flight
During the flight, a simulated engine failure was performed. When the pilot applied full throttle to go around, the engine lost power approximately 400 feet mean sea level (MSL) during the climb. The instructor took control of the aircraft and executed an emergency landing. The only suitable landing area within gliding distance was a soft, muddy field. The instructor performed a soft-field landing, but the nose gear dug into the ground, causing the airplane to nose over.
Post-Accident Examination
An examination of the engine and fuel system following the accident revealed water in the gascolator and carburetor bowl. A separate fuel supply was plumbed into the wing root fuel line, and the engine started on the first attempt. The engine was stopped and started again without any anomalies found.