PA23-160 pilot has water in fuel causing engine failure. Emergency landing off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	339756
Time
Date	199606
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : b03 airport : m03
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lit tower : san
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-23 Apache (& Geronimo Apache)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	339756
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
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Normal VFR departure from little rock, climb out to 4000 ft, then was released by lit departure, encountered turbulence just after switching fuel from main to auxiliary on both tanks. Had found water during preflight in all tanks and drained until clear of water. Right engine sputtered and lost power. Switched back to mains, feathered right engine automatic and attempted restart. No restart, had turned 180 degrees to return to nearest airport, conway 12 mi. At 8 mi out left engine began to sputter and lost power due to water ingestion. Tried to keep engine running so as to pass water, but not able to maintain altitude. Located suitable pasture for landing. Landed with no property damage. No injury. The problem which needs to be addressed is that the sump system for clearing water from this aircraft will not clear the system of all the water. Repeated draining still leaves water in the area below the pickups and in carburetor bowls. Turbulence will cause this water to be ingested into the engines causing loss of power or complete failure. There should be an airworthiness directive required on these aircraft for additional fuel drains and carburetor drains. Type of aircraft PA23-160.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA23-160 PLT HAS WATER IN FUEL CAUSING ENG FAILURE. EMER LNDG OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: NORMAL VFR DEP FROM LITTLE ROCK, CLBOUT TO 4000 FT, THEN WAS RELEASED BY LIT DEP, ENCOUNTERED TURB JUST AFTER SWITCHING FUEL FROM MAIN TO AUX ON BOTH TANKS. HAD FOUND WATER DURING PREFLT IN ALL TANKS AND DRAINED UNTIL CLR OF WATER. R ENG SPUTTERED AND LOST PWR. SWITCHED BACK TO MAINS, FEATHERED R ENG AUTOMATIC AND ATTEMPTED RESTART. NO RESTART, HAD TURNED 180 DEGS TO RETURN TO NEAREST ARPT, CONWAY 12 MI. AT 8 MI OUT L ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND LOST PWR DUE TO WATER INGESTION. TRIED TO KEEP ENG RUNNING SO AS TO PASS WATER, BUT NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. LOCATED SUITABLE PASTURE FOR LNDG. LANDED WITH NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. NO INJURY. THE PROB WHICH NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IS THAT THE SUMP SYS FOR CLRING WATER FROM THIS ACFT WILL NOT CLR THE SYS OF ALL THE WATER. REPEATED DRAINING STILL LEAVES WATER IN THE AREA BELOW THE PICKUPS AND IN CARB BOWLS. TURB WILL CAUSE THIS WATER TO BE INGESTED INTO THE ENGS CAUSING LOSS OF PWR OR COMPLETE FAILURE. THERE SHOULD BE AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE REQUIRED ON THESE ACFT FOR ADDITIONAL FUEL DRAINS AND CARB DRAINS. TYPE OF ACFT PA23-160.

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.