Accident Description
The pilot of a privately owned airplane stated that he had owned the aircraft for an extended period and that it had been parked on the field since 2004. He had discontinued flight lessons and decided to sell the airplane. On the day of the accident, the pilot washed the airplane and sumped the fuel tanks. While sumping, he observed approximately half a cup of water draining from each of the left and right fuel tanks.
He then started the engine and proceeded to take off for a single touch-and-go landing. During the initial climb, the engine began to lose power. Shortly thereafter, the pilot pushed the throttle forward, and the engine revved up and then stopped. He made a left turn toward the field and landed in heavy brush.
Upon exiting the airplane, the pilot reported that the aircraft caught on fire and he was unable to extinguish it. In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he did not remove all of the water from the fuel tanks.