Accident Overview
On April 12, 2017, at about 1115 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 airplane, registration N95551, was substantially damaged when it nosed over after a forced landing at La Porte Municipal Airport (T41) in La Porte, Texas. The commercial pilot was not injured. The flight was a post-maintenance test flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The local flight departed about 1150.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot's written statement, during a low approach to the runway, the pilot noticed a noticeable lag in the engine response, followed by a loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to restore power but was unsuccessful. With no remaining runway available, the pilot turned the airplane to avoid a ditch. During the landing, the airplane encountered soft ground, and the nose wheel dug into the ground, causing the airplane to nosed over. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the empennage and firewall.
Examination Findings
An examination of the airframe and engine revealed water contamination in the engine's fuel lines, fuel bowl, and carburetor. No water contamination was found in either of the fuel tanks. The engine and fuel system showed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.
Pilot's Statement
The pilot wrote that the preflight inspection did not show any evidence of water when samples from the main fuel tanks were taken. During the preflight run-up, the engine ran without hesitation or sputtering.