Summary
On 20 March 2014, a Cessna 152 aircraft registered VT-CAX, owned by Chetak Aviation and operated by Transbharat Aviation Pvt. Ltd., experienced a forced landing near Fursatganj Airfield, Raibarely, India. The flight was a positioning flight to return the aircraft from lessee to lessor, planned from Ranchi to Fursatganj then onward to Aligarh. The aircraft departed Ranchi at 0336 UTC under special VFR due to low visibility. Both pilots—a Pilot-in-Command (CPL holder) and a Co-pilot (also a CPL holder)—were uninjured. No passengers were on board.
History of the Flight
The aircraft had been parked at Ranchi from 22 February to 20 March 2014. On the day of the accident, an AME performed a preflight inspection, and the PIC accepted the aircraft. According to the PIC, no refueling was done at Ranchi, and 125 liters of fuel were on board, estimated to provide six hours of endurance. The aerial distance from Ranchi to Fursatganj was approximately 300 nautical miles. The co-pilot filed a VFR flight plan on 19 March, but visibility at Ranchi was below 5 km, prompting a special VFR clearance for takeoff.
En route, the aircraft cruised at 4,500 feet with a 5–10 knot headwind. Approaching Varanasi, ATC instructed VT-CAX to fly a 25 nautical mile DME arc due to traffic, then proceed to Fursatganj. The co-pilot contacted Fursatganj ATC approximately 42 NM from the airfield and was cleared to descend to 3,500 feet and later to 2,100 feet.
Accident Sequence
At roughly 6 NM from Fursatganj Airfield, while descending, the engine shut down. The PIC attempted an engine restart, which was unsuccessful. At 0807 UTC, the pilot transmitted a MAYDAY call three times to Fursatganj ATC. The aircraft carried out a forced landing in a paddy field at approximately 0811 UTC at coordinates 26°10'10"N, 81°27'30"E (330 feet AMSL). During the landing, the flaps were not lowered. The aircraft rolled about 100 meters before striking a mud bund and toppling onto its nose. No fire occurred. Both pilots evacuated without injury. The total flight duration was 4 hours and 35 minutes.
A companion Cessna 152, VT-CHA, on a similar ferry flight from Ranchi, landed safely at Fursatganj Airfield.
Damage to Aircraft
The aircraft sustained substantial damage: one propeller blade was bent 90° backward; the nose landing gear assembly sheared off; the shimmy damper and both steering rods broke; the underside belly was punctured by the nose gear; the engine mount cracked; the firewall was damaged and wrinkled; the lower engine cowling and exhaust assembly were damaged; the fuel filter assembly and fuel line broke from the carburetor mounting; and the main landing gear root fairing bulged.
Findings
The committee of inquiry determined the probable cause of the accident as improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power, leading to the forced landing in a paddy field.