What happened
On June 7, 2018, a Tecnam P 2008, registration SP-WBA, was performing a training flight at Rzeszów EPRZ. The crew, consisting of a pilot and a safety pilot, was executing a standard landing pattern. During the fourth circuit, while the pilot was on the final approach and had configured the aircraft for landing, the engine experienced a sudden fluctuation and subsequently stopped.
Realizing the aircraft could not reach the runway threshold, the crew decided to perform an emergency landing on the nearby A4 motorway. The landing was successful, and the aircraft sustained no damage. The crew managed traffic on the motorway until emergency services arrived, and the aircraft was later moved to a parking bay to avoid obstructing traffic.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the engine failure and the presence of contaminants in the fuel system. Investigators examined the fuel tanks and found a significant amount of water in the left tank, while the right tank contained only trace amounts.
Technical examination of the left fuel gauge revealed a corroded cover and a non-sealed connection between the gauge and the tank. It was determined that during heavy rainfall the previous evening, while the aircraft was parked outside the hangar, water had entered the left tank through this faulty seal and potentially through the tank vent. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's total weight exceeded its maximum allowable limit by approximately 37 kg, though this was not a factor in the engine failure.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was that a full pre-flight inspection was not performed, specifically omitting the draining of fuel from the sumps and the visual inspection of fuel quality.
- The engine failure was caused by a large amount of water entering the fuel system after the pilot switched from the right tank to the left tank during the landing pattern.
- A faulty, corroded fuel gauge assembly allowed rainwater to penetrate the left fuel tank.
- The flight training center lacked a formal procedure for handling fuel drained during pre-flight inspections.
- The aircraft was operated in an overweight condition, though this did not contribute to the engine failure.