Water in the fuel system causes an small aircraft to divert land at a private airport.

Attributes
ACN	300219
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 2xs3 airport : dwh
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dwh
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 386 flight time type : 363
ASRS Report	300219
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other

Narrative:

I scheduled a C152 for sunday. When I got to airport, plane had been flown for 1.2 hours and needed fuel. I waited for top-off before checking sumps in wings twice and carburetor. -- I know better from my safety seminars. Run-up was normal, takeoff same, about 8 mi from airport -- engine started to cut-out bad! I immediately turned back, did all my checks while talking to tower. It didn't smooth out and I didn't want to try to make it back. So I diverted to small private field right then. After landing -- both wing sumps checked clean twice again. I went to check carburetor sump and found 1/4 in water in tester. Drained sump completely and restarted ok. It still ran a little rough, but made it back to primary airport. After return -- found out -- no problems on first flight of day. Gas cap checked -- ok for seals. The only thing we could guess is the rain over previous days had caused condensation in tanks. I felt real proud of my emergency procedures and recommend those safety meetings to everyone! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter took off from dwh airport and landed at 2xs3, may airport, a private airport. The problem was 'just water.' the reporter was in radio contact with dwh while landing at 2xs3 and while on the ground at 2xs3.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WATER IN THE FUEL SYS CAUSES AN SMA TO DIVERT LAND AT A PVT ARPT.

Narrative: I SCHEDULED A C152 FOR SUNDAY. WHEN I GOT TO ARPT, PLANE HAD BEEN FLOWN FOR 1.2 HRS AND NEEDED FUEL. I WAITED FOR TOP-OFF BEFORE CHKING SUMPS IN WINGS TWICE AND CARB. -- I KNOW BETTER FROM MY SAFETY SEMINARS. RUN-UP WAS NORMAL, TKOF SAME, ABOUT 8 MI FROM ARPT -- ENG STARTED TO CUT-OUT BAD! I IMMEDIATELY TURNED BACK, DID ALL MY CHKS WHILE TALKING TO TWR. IT DIDN'T SMOOTH OUT AND I DIDN'T WANT TO TRY TO MAKE IT BACK. SO I DIVERTED TO SMALL PVT FIELD RIGHT THEN. AFTER LNDG -- BOTH WING SUMPS CHKED CLEAN TWICE AGAIN. I WENT TO CHK CARB SUMP AND FOUND 1/4 IN WATER IN TESTER. DRAINED SUMP COMPLETELY AND RESTARTED OK. IT STILL RAN A LITTLE ROUGH, BUT MADE IT BACK TO PRIMARY ARPT. AFTER RETURN -- FOUND OUT -- NO PROBS ON FIRST FLT OF DAY. GAS CAP CHKED -- OK FOR SEALS. THE ONLY THING WE COULD GUESS IS THE RAIN OVER PREVIOUS DAYS HAD CAUSED CONDENSATION IN TANKS. I FELT REAL PROUD OF MY EMER PROCS AND RECOMMEND THOSE SAFETY MEETINGS TO EVERYONE! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR TOOK OFF FROM DWH ARPT AND LANDED AT 2XS3, MAY ARPT, A PVT ARPT. THE PROB WAS 'JUST WATER.' THE RPTR WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH DWH WHILE LNDG AT 2XS3 AND WHILE ON THE GND AT 2XS3.

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.