Incident Overview
On 25 April 2019, a Cessna 152 pilot departed Bydgoszcz (EPBY) at 11:35 LMT for a cross-country flight with planned stops at Zegrze Pomorskie (EPKZ) and Olsztyn Dajtki (EPOD) before returning to EPBY. During the final leg from EPOD to EPBY, while abeam Grudziądz, the pilot observed a drop in engine RPM and rough running. Aborting the flight to EPBY, the pilot decided to land at Lisie Kąty (EPGI). However, as he approached EPGI, engine power continued to decrease, prompting him to execute a forced landing in an open field near Dąbrówka Królewska, east of Lisie Kąty. The landing was completed at 17:50 LMT, with the engine idling unevenly. The pilot sustained no injuries, and the aircraft was not damaged.
Post-Flight Examination
After the event, 10 litres of fuel were drained from the tanks, while the unusable fuel quantity is specified as 12 litres. The aircraft was subsequently transported back to EPBY.
Analysis of Fuel Planning
Review of the flight plan revealed that the pilot's fuel calculation for the required trip fuel considered only the total route distance, omitting fuel consumption for taxiing, engine run-up, and carburetor heat. Additionally, during pre-flight preparation, the pilot did not account for the actual atmospheric conditions.
Cause of the Incident
The incident was caused by the pilot's erroneous calculation of the fuel quantity necessary to complete the flight.