Narrative:

25000 hour former duster pilot needed small aircraft chkout to satisfy new owner's insurance policy for delivery to new owner's base. Aircraft had just come out of expired certificate condition inspection and thorough preflight and had been previously test flown by mechanic. Owner and pilot had run it and taxi familiarized with aircraft. On our first takeoff, just at departure end runway 14 (approximately 300-400 ft AGL) engine sputtered once or twice -- lost power -- pilot picked only available field. Had to fly under wires with a most masterful forced landing in corn and mud. At very end, nosed up, bent 1 propeller blade and damaged nose cowling. This was only damage to aircraft. This ship had sat 'for sale' 6 or 7 months without flying -- water was found in fuel (carbs) -- it was quick-drained, but upon close examination, it appears drain points are forward of low point of gas tank (you must lift tail to level, I would guess, to get all water to drain)! Also, there is no gascolator (last chance) quick-drain and no standby fuel pumps (either electric or manual wobble type pump). This is a nice rugged little ship but needs more appropriate quick- drains and standby pumps for safety! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: water was drained out of the carburetor and the fuel tanks. The water drain point is above the lowest part of the fuel tank when the aircraft is in a 3 point attitude. There is no auxiliary fuel pump, manual or electric. The aircraft has been delivered to the new owner and there has been no report of further trouble.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT LANDED OFF ARPT WHEN ITS ENG FAILED AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: 25000 HR FORMER DUSTER PLT NEEDED SMA CHKOUT TO SATISFY NEW OWNER'S INSURANCE POLICY FOR DELIVERY TO NEW OWNER'S BASE. ACFT HAD JUST COME OUT OF EXPIRED CERTIFICATE CONDITION INSPECTION AND THOROUGH PREFLT AND HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY TEST FLOWN BY MECH. OWNER AND PLT HAD RUN IT AND TAXI FAMILIARIZED WITH ACFT. ON OUR FIRST TKOF, JUST AT DEP END RWY 14 (APPROX 300-400 FT AGL) ENG SPUTTERED ONCE OR TWICE -- LOST PWR -- PLT PICKED ONLY AVAILABLE FIELD. HAD TO FLY UNDER WIRES WITH A MOST MASTERFUL FORCED LNDG IN CORN AND MUD. AT VERY END, NOSED UP, BENT 1 PROP BLADE AND DAMAGED NOSE COWLING. THIS WAS ONLY DAMAGE TO ACFT. THIS SHIP HAD SAT 'FOR SALE' 6 OR 7 MONTHS WITHOUT FLYING -- WATER WAS FOUND IN FUEL (CARBS) -- IT WAS QUICK-DRAINED, BUT UPON CLOSE EXAMINATION, IT APPEARS DRAIN POINTS ARE FORWARD OF LOW POINT OF GAS TANK (YOU MUST LIFT TAIL TO LEVEL, I WOULD GUESS, TO GET ALL WATER TO DRAIN)! ALSO, THERE IS NO GASCOLATOR (LAST CHANCE) QUICK-DRAIN AND NO STANDBY FUEL PUMPS (EITHER ELECTRIC OR MANUAL WOBBLE TYPE PUMP). THIS IS A NICE RUGGED LITTLE SHIP BUT NEEDS MORE APPROPRIATE QUICK- DRAINS AND STANDBY PUMPS FOR SAFETY! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: WATER WAS DRAINED OUT OF THE CARB AND THE FUEL TANKS. THE WATER DRAIN POINT IS ABOVE THE LOWEST PART OF THE FUEL TANK WHEN THE ACFT IS IN A 3 POINT ATTITUDE. THERE IS NO AUX FUEL PUMP, MANUAL OR ELECTRIC. THE ACFT HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO THE NEW OWNER AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RPT OF FURTHER TROUBLE.

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.