History of the Flight
On 4 July 2010, a Cessna 152 (CS-ASQ) owned by Gestair – Flying Academy and operated by Aero Clube de Leiria was conducting a navigation training flight with an instructor and a student pilot. The aircraft departed Leiria at 10:55 UTC, landing at Évora at 12:05. After a short stop, it continued to Covilhã, arriving at 13:50. At 14:10, the aircraft departed Covilhã for Leiria, with an estimated arrival of 15:10.
Loss of Power and Emergency Landing
At approximately 14:40, the instructor noticed a loss of engine power. Investigating the cause, he determined it was due to fuel starvation. He informed the Flight Information Service (FIS) of his intention to perform an emergency landing on a road. At 14:43, the aircraft landed on the IC8 road near the Parque Empresarial do Camporês in Ansião, Pombal. The road at that location was straight, about 800 meters long, with no tall trees and light traffic. No vehicles were involved. After landing, the pilot contacted FIS by phone, reporting that everything was fine.
Post-Landing Actions
The National Republican Guard (GNR) arrived and managed traffic. The aircraft was moved to the roadside to clear the road. Following instructions from the GPIAA (the Portuguese aviation accident investigation body), the GNR did not permit a takeoff from the road. The aircraft was then moved into the nearby Parque Empresarial do Camporês business park. While the GNR patrol was returning to its station, the instructor took off from an interior road of the business park and flew to Leiria aerodrome. The aircraft later flew to Coimbra on 5 July and to Viseu on 6 July.
Investigation
The GPIAA was notified at 17:00 by the GNR and opened an investigation, classifying the event as a serious incident. Examination revealed no damage to the aircraft and no injuries to the occupants. The sky was clear with good visibility, wind from the northwest at about 10 knots, and temperature 28°C at the time of the incident.
Probable Cause
The report does not state a probable cause.