Water, debris found in fuel after deadly Grumman GA-7 crash

Photo is screenshot from Rebuild Rescue YouTube video of accident planeA pilot was in a hurry, and he did not obtain fuel samples before taking off on the deadly Feb. 1 flight. That's according to a newly released NTSB preliminary report, citing witnesses and video evidence.The NTSB investigators found water in debris in the fuel and reported that the rubber gasket on the right-wing fuel cap was not installed before the crash.On Feb. 1 a private pilot was preparing to deliver a restored Grumman GA-7 Cougar to its new owner, arriving at the Chester County G.O. Carlson Airport (MQS) and making it clear to witnesses he was "in a hurry" to make a return flight from Knoxville, Tennessee booked for that evening. The pilot arrived at MQS at about 12:30 and called the fuel truck multiple times, indicating to the linesmen that he was in a hurry and was not pleased with the delayed response to his fuel request. The GA-7 Cougar's 116-gallon fuel system was serviced with 80 gallons of fuel which reached "to the tabs" in each fuel tank. Witnesses and surveillance video revealed that the pilot did not obtain any fuel samples from the fuel tanks before he took off.The accident plane in a YouTube video documenting the restoration Witnesses described the engine start, taxi, ground run and takeoff from runway 29 to investigators and some reported that the pilot did not perform a pre-takeoff engine run-up. A review of surveillance video shows a delay, which may have allowed for those checks. Witnesses described engine sounds as smooth and continuous until just after takeoff when a loud pop was heard followed by sputtering. The plane then made an aggressive right turn, turned left and continued on an approximate runway heading about parallel to the runway until the plane was lost from view. ADS-B data showed the ground track consistent with what witnesses described. The plane's climb shallowed, the groundspeed slowed and the track showed a sharp, tightening and descending right turn before the track ended around the accident site. Witnesses on the ground said the plane was in a steep turn before it contacted the ground. One witness said she "could see the whole top of the airplane...the tops of both wings" before the plane hit the ground. The pilot also owned a GA-7 and held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on Nov. 1, 2007. He had a total of 1,800 hours of flight experience on that date. FAA pilot records revealed he had completed the requirements for operation under BasicMed on July 12, 2023. AP News reported that the pilot was a 26-year board member and the President of the Octorara Area School District, 65-year-old Sam Ganow. The school district posted a statement on its official Facebook page, sharing condolences on the loss of Ganow. "Mr. Ganow was not only a dedicated member of the Octorara Area School District School Board but also a cherished and respected member of our community," the Octarara Area School District said in a Facebook post. "Mr. Ganow served the Octorara community as a school board member for 26 years. His commitment to education and his tireless efforts to enhance the educational experience for our students made a lasting impact on our school district."Sam Ganow (left) photo from GoFundMe page "Personally, Sam was a dedicated husband, father and grandfather, active member of his local church community and the owner of an equipment rental business for decades. For years he has also been deeply committed to the international skiing circuit, serving as a judge for hundreds of ski events all around the US and the world. He also competed in multiple marathon races annually, most recently completing the Disney Marathon weekend in January. Sam's loss will be felt across a number of communities." The NTSB prelim reports that the plane was manufactured in 1978 and powered by two Lycoming O-320-D1P, 160-horsepower engines. FAA and maintenance records show the plane's most recent annual inspection was completed on Dec. 14, 2023 at 4,269.3 total aircraft hours. After the recent annual, the plane was flown from Michigan where work was performed, to MQS. At MQS an avionics installation was performed and additional mechanical troubleshooting and repairs during the week before the flight. The work included a propeller governor rigging on both sides, the left side fuel quantity indicating system, alternator, alternator switch and the left magneto on the right engine. The work was completed on the day of the crash.The GA-7 from a restoration video The plane had been the subject of a restoration project which was documented in a series of YouTube videos. The restorative work was done to return the plane to service and resell it. The purpose of the accident flight was to deliver the plane to its new owner. According to 6 ABC WPVI, investigators are now reviewing the videos posted online by a group called Rebuild Rescue. The plane was reportedly purchased and rebuilt after a previous crash. The videos documented how the group rebuilt the plane and eventually flew it again. Investigator Brian Rayner told WPVI that the group is being cooperative and has provided all requested records. The plane impacted terrain and came to rest upright on flat terrain on private property between a home and trees northwest of MQS. The plane was resting in an initial impact crater on a 135-degree heading and all major components were accounted for at the scene with no evidence of post-impact fire. The leading edge of the right wing was uniformly crushed along its span and showed damage consistent with crush and hydraulic deformation. There was a corresponding ground scar of a similar dimension to the leading edge seen in the soft ground. The plane's nose, instrument panel and cockpit area were destroyed by the impact. The left wing was separated and resting upright next to the fuselage. The main wing spar was fractured about mid-cabin and all control cables were separated. Flight control continuity was established from the control quadrants in the cockpit area through numerous breaks to the respective flight control surfaces or points of separation. All of the breaks were consistent with the impact or overload failures.RELATED STORIES:Inadequate inspections, faulty fuel caps - how proper fueling habits prevent crashesThe dangers of DEF fuel contaminationPreventing faulty fueling- the best practices for proper fuel planning Fuel was drained from the left engine and seen as blue with no visible water or debris contamination and the tests confirmed there was no water detected. Fuel was drained from the right engine and showed visible water and debris and the tests confirmed water. Fuel samples from the left and right-side fuel boost pumps contained water and debris. Samples taken from the sump tank, engine-driven fuel pump and carburetor bowl on the plane's right side all contained water and debris. The rubber gasket on the right-wing fuel cap was not installed. Pilots are taught to check small samples of their fuel for water and contamination before taking off. Faulty fueling can be fatal and is often preventable. According to the AOPA, during a preflight check pilots should take a small sample from each fuel drain or sump in the fuel cap and check the color, which is blue for 100LL, and check for water or other contaminants. Most problems can be visually detected by a check. In some cases, fuel tanks are lined with rubber bladders and can trap water. Contaminating a piston-powered aircraft with jet fuel can also be hard to detect. Contaminated fuel is a dangerous hazard for pilots and can be deadly if unchecked. The NTSB retained the engines for further examination and is examining videos of the restoration during the investigation. A final report will likely take one to two years to complete and will contain more details and a probable cause for the crash if one can be determined.