What happened
On April 25, 2019, a pilot operating a Cessna 152 departed Bydgoszcz (EPBY) for a flight training mission involving a route through Zegrze Pomorskie (EPKZ) and Olschen (EPOD), with the intention of performing two landings. During the return leg from Olsztyn Dajtki (EPOD) toward Bydgoszcz, near Grudziądz, the pilot noticed a drop in engine RPM and irregular engine operation.
In response to the engine instability, the pilot aborted the flight to Bydgoszcz and decided to divert to Lisie Kąty (EPGI). While approaching the airfield, the engine power continued to decrease, prompting the pilot to execute an emergency landing in an unprepared field near the village of Dąbrówka Królewska, east of Lisie Kąty. The aircraft landed at 17:50 LMT. Following the landing, the engine continued to run irregularly at low RPM. There were no injuries to the pilot, and the aircraft sustained no damage. Upon inspection, 10 liters of fuel were drained from the tanks, leaving a non-usable amount of 12 liters.
The investigation
The investigation reviewed the pilot's flight plan and pre-flight preparations. It was established that the pilot's fuel calculations for the planned mission only accounted for the total distance of the flight segments. The calculations failed to include fuel consumption for taxiing, engine testing, and carburetor heating. Additionally, the pilot did not account for the prevailing meteorological conditions during the pre-flight preparation phase.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was incorrect fuel quantity calculations by the pilot.
- The pilot failed to include necessary fuel reserves for ground operations and engine-related procedures in the flight plan.
- Pre-flight preparations did not sufficiently account for current weather conditions.