Introduction
On June 1, 2021, at 06:26 local time, a Thrush Aircraft S2R-H80, registration C-GWRJ, suffered a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from Runway 19 at Keflavik Airport (BIKF), Iceland. The aircraft was on a ferry flight from Kenya to Canada, with a planned leg from Keflavik to Goose Bay, Canada. The single-engine aircraft was equipped with a GE Aviation H80-100 engine and had a 510 USG Hopper tank modified to serve as an auxiliary fuel tank for the ferry flight. The pilot, the sole occupant, was uninjured, but the aircraft was severely damaged.
Flight Details
The two-aircraft formation departed Keflavik after refueling. The pilot of C-GWRJ sumped fuel during preflight and observed round droplets floating on the sample. Suspecting water but noting that water does not float on fuel, he poked the droplets, which disappeared, and smelled his finger, detecting jet fuel. He concluded the sample was pure fuel and poured it into the Hopper tank. The fuel selector was set to wing tanks for takeoff.
Incident Sequence
The takeoff and initial climb were normal. At about 500 feet, the pilot initiated a right turn at 110-120 mph. Shortly after, without prior warning, engine power was lost, accompanied by gray smoke from the engine. The pilot turned on the emergency fuel pump, but engine N1 was at 12%, and a restart was not possible due to low altitude. He dumped fuel from the Hopper tank and performed an emergency landing in an open area east of the airport, skidding approximately 280 meters before coming to rest.
Investigation
The Icelandic Transportation Accident Investigation Board (SIA-Iceland) analyzed the incident. Fuel samples from the fuel truck met Jet A-1 specifications. However, water contamination was found in the aircraft's fuel system: corrosion on engine fuel filter bolts and water in samples from the engine fuel filter and aircraft fuel filter drain. The MVP50 engine monitor data showed a fluctuating fuel flow, decreasing fuel pressure, and a significant fuel flow drop before engine deceleration, consistent with water contamination.
Conclusion
The investigation concluded that the loss of engine power was caused by water contamination in the fuel. The aircraft had been parked at Keflavik for five days after arriving from Kenya, where high temperature and humidity likely caused dissolved water to come out of solution and accumulate in the wing tanks. The pilot's preflight sump sample likely contained mostly water with a small amount of fuel on top, which he misinterpreted. The water contamination prevented engine restart when the emergency fuel pump was activated.
No safety recommendations were issued, but SIA-Iceland reminded pilots of the importance of vigilance during fuel sump checks.