Accident Details
On June 7, 2022, at about 1645 Pacific daylight time, a Czech Sport Aircraft SportCruiser, N565L, sustained substantial damage during an accident in Hillsboro, Oregon. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Preflight and Flight
The airplane had not been flown for approximately six weeks. During this period, multiple rain showers occurred in the area. Additionally, due to an airshow about three weeks prior, the airplane had been moved from its usual ramp tie-down location to a temporary grass-surfaced tie-down location.
The pilot/owner reported that after a normal preflight check, which included sumping both fuel tank drains and the gascolator, he taxied to the opposite side of the airport and shut down the engine to pick up a passenger. After boarding, he restarted the engine and performed an engine run-up.
Takeoff was normal. Following rotation, the airplane accelerated in ground effect and began to climb. At an altitude between 100 and 200 ft above ground level, the engine's tone changed before it lost all power. The pilot confirmed the fuel pump was on, switched the fuel selector valve from the left to the right tank, and attempted an engine restart. The engine did not restart. With insufficient altitude to deploy the ballistic recovery parachute, he performed a forced landing straight ahead just beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane struck a fence, resulting in substantial damage to the center fuselage, both wings, and the vertical stabilizer.
Fuel System History
The airplane's fuel system had a known history of water contamination. At the last annual inspection, about 10 weeks before the accident, the gascolator, carburetor bowls, and left-wing fuel tank sump drain were replaced due to corrosion. The mechanic who performed the work stated he could not determine the source of the water and presumed it came from a contaminated batch of fuel.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident examination revealed that the left fuel tank contained about 6 ounces of water. The gascolator was half full of water, and the carburetor fuel bowls were approximately half fuel and half water. Although no fuel was observed in the gascolator, it had a faint smell of aviation gasoline. The fuel filler cap on the left tank was missing its O-ring seal. The mechanic who performed the annual inspection stated the O-ring was present at the time of inspection, and the pilot reported he did not recall the condition of the fuel filler cap O-rings.
The left fuel tank was opened; its surface was flat, with no evidence of high or low spots that could have kept water away from the sump drain. The tank showed evidence of corrosion consistent with water contamination. When informed of these findings, the pilot reaffirmed that he sumped the drains before starting the engine.