Incident Overview
On May 13, 2021, at 1117 central daylight time, a Beech B24R airplane, registered as N9199S, was involved in an accident near New Lenox, Illinois. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The pilot and two passengers were seriously injured, and one passenger suffered minor injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that the airplane was fueled from four identical fuel containers stored in the flying club hangar. One container was already full. He took the other three containers to the fuel pump, filled them with 100 low-lead aviation fuel, and returned to the airplane. Approximately 10 gallons of fuel were added to each wing fuel tank from the four containers. During the preflight inspection, the pilot sumped the fuel tanks and observed no contamination. The engine started without hesitation, and the before-takeoff run-up, takeoff, and initial climb were normal. The right fuel tank was selected for takeoff and initial climb; however, the pilot then switched to the left fuel tank. Shortly after changing tanks, the engine lost power. The pilot's efforts to restore engine power were unsuccessful, and he executed a forced landing to an interstate highway. During the landing, the airplane impacted a concrete barrier wall.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination recovered approximately 2-1/2 gallons of water from the left fuel tank. No water was detected in the right fuel tank. No anomalies with respect to the engine assembly or the airframe fuel system were observed.
Background Information
An individual associated with the flying club reported that he was cleaning an airplane in the hangar the day before the accident flight. He had used a fuel container to get water and marked it “water for cleaning”. At the end of the day, he left the container next to the airplane with the intention of continuing the next day. There were 2 to 3 gallons of water in the container at the time.
Investigation Outcome
The investigation did not provide a formal probable cause statement. However, the presence of water in the left fuel tank indicates fuel contamination as a likely factor in the engine power loss.