What happened
On March 20, 2014, a Cessna 152, registration VT-CAX, was operating a positioning flight from Ranchi to Fursatganj Airfield, Raibarely. The flight was intended to return the aircraft from its lessee, M/s Transbharat Aviation Pvt. Ltd., to the lessor, M/s Chetak Aviation.
After departing Ranchi under special VFR conditions, the aircraft proceeded toward its destination via Varanasi. While on approach to Fursatganj Airfield, approximately 6 nautical miles from the airfield, the engine suddenly shut down. Despite the pilot's attempts to restart the engine, the power loss continued. The pilot issued three MAY DAY calls to Fursatganj ATC before performing a forced landing in a paddy field. During the landing, the aircraft traveled roughly 100 meters before striking a mud bund and toppling onto its nose. Both the pilot and co-pilot escaped the wreckage without any injuries.
The investigation
The investigation by AAIB India examined the aircraft's maintenance records, fuel logs, and the flight's operational parameters. Investigators scrutinized the fuel management practices, noting that while the technical log indicated 125 liters of fuel were available at takeoff from Ranchi, no refueling had actually occurred at that location since the previous flight in February. Furthermore, the investigation looked into the aircraft's weight and balance, discovering that the aircraft was overloaded by 43 kg at the time of departure.
Findings
- Improper fuel planning led to fuel starvation, causing the engine to lose power.
- The actual fuel remaining at takeoff from Ranchi was significantly lower than the 125 liters recorded in the technical log, as no refueling had taken place since the aircraft was parked in February.
- The pilot failed to adjust the mixture control to a lean position to conserve remaining fuel during the flight.
- The aircraft was operating in an overloaded state, exceeding its weight limits by 43 kg.
- There was a lack of adequate supervision by the operator, and the flight was being conducted by crew members who were preoccupied with other professional duties.