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C185 float plane pilot makes a precautionary water landing after intermittent power loss due to water contamination in fuel.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 625387 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200407 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 1200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skywagon 185 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level descent : intermediate altitude ground : preflight landing : roll |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 625387 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed as precaution |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Flying an 185B float plane, my motor started cutting out and almost quit. Shortly before I switched from my left tank to the right. I had added 5 gals of what I believed to be AVGAS on the right tank just before I left. I thought the motor might quit so rather than continue on over a populated area I chose to make a precautionary landing in the inlet. I then taxied 5 mi to the boat ramp where I met a mechanic. We discovered water in the right and bottom sumps. I added 10 gals of clean fuel to the left tank, did a run-up, determined everything was ok, and took off. Upon arrival, I drained approximately 10 gals out of the right tank. I then examined 2 more 5-GAL containers that I had filled with AVGAS and found that both had been replaced with contaminated car gas. I could have prevented the problem by using a water filter when fueling out of containers.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C185 FLOAT PLANE PLT MAKES A PRECAUTIONARY WATER LNDG AFTER INTERMITTENT PWR LOSS DUE TO WATER CONTAMINATION IN FUEL.
Narrative: FLYING AN 185B FLOAT PLANE, MY MOTOR STARTED CUTTING OUT AND ALMOST QUIT. SHORTLY BEFORE I SWITCHED FROM MY L TANK TO THE R. I HAD ADDED 5 GALS OF WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE AVGAS ON THE R TANK JUST BEFORE I LEFT. I THOUGHT THE MOTOR MIGHT QUIT SO RATHER THAN CONTINUE ON OVER A POPULATED AREA I CHOSE TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG IN THE INLET. I THEN TAXIED 5 MI TO THE BOAT RAMP WHERE I MET A MECH. WE DISCOVERED WATER IN THE R AND BOTTOM SUMPS. I ADDED 10 GALS OF CLEAN FUEL TO THE L TANK, DID A RUN-UP, DETERMINED EVERYTHING WAS OK, AND TOOK OFF. UPON ARR, I DRAINED APPROX 10 GALS OUT OF THE R TANK. I THEN EXAMINED 2 MORE 5-GAL CONTAINERS THAT I HAD FILLED WITH AVGAS AND FOUND THAT BOTH HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH CONTAMINATED CAR GAS. I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PROB BY USING A WATER FILTER WHEN FUELING OUT OF CONTAINERS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.