What happened
The flight began with the pilot preparing for departure. During the initial climb-out phase, the aircraft's engine suddenly lost power just after liftoff. The pilot immediately responded by lowering the landing gear and attempting to execute a landing on the remaining portion of the runway.
During this emergency landing sequence, the left main landing gear collapsed upon impact with the ground. This structural failure resulted in additional damage to the airframe. Specifically, the left stabilizer spar sustained damage, as did the aft fuselage bulkhead.
The investigation
Post-acc examination of the aircraft revealed significant structural damage consistent with a hard landing and gear collapse. The primary mechanical failures identified were the collapse of the left main landing gear assembly, damage to the left stabilizer spar, and deformation of the aft fuselage bulkhead. These damages occurred during the forced landing attempt following the in-flight engine power loss.
Findings
The investigation determined that the root cause of the incident was the selection of an empty fuel tank by the pilot. This action led to fuel starvation and subsequent engine power loss shortly after takeoff. The pilot's decision to lower the gear and attempt a landing on the remaining runway resulted in the collapse of the left main landing gear and associated airframe damage.
Safety message
Pilots must verify fuel tank selection and quantity before every flight to ensure adequate fuel supply for the planned operation. Proper pre-flight checks are critical to preventing fuel exhaustion events.