What happened
On 28 June 2020, a SOCATA MS 893 E-D, registration D-EGET, departed from Warszawa-Babice (EPBC) for a recreational flight to the Giże landing site. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and three passengers. During the takeoff roll and initial climb, the aircraft experienced a significant drop in engine power. Although the pilot initially perceived the takeoff as normal, CCTV footage later revealed the aircraft was struggling with a very high angle of attack and a sluggish climb.
As the aircraft passed the airfield boundary, the pilot realized the engine power was insufficient to maintain flight. Because returning to the airfield would have risked a stall, the pilot attempted an emergency landing in a nearby forest. During the descent, the aircraft struck trees, causing the left wing to hit a tree with enough force to uproot it. The impact caused the aircraft to rotate 90 degrees and strike additional trees before hitting the ground. While no fire occurred, the aircraft was destroyed.
Two passengers on the right side of the cabin sustained serious injuries. One female passenger, seated in the front right, was trapped by the wreckage and required helicopter transport to the hospital. The pilot and the passenger on the left side were not seriously injured and were able to exit the cockpit unaided.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation examined the engine performance, fuel quality, and aircraft weight. Investigators found that the engine was operating with a loose ignition harness connector on the upper spark plug of cylinder number 4, which caused a lack of spark and reduced RPM. Additionally, the aircraft had been refueled with Pb95 automotive gasoline, which has an anti-knock index (AKI) too low for the engine's requirements.
Environmental and operational factors were also scrutinized. The investigation noted that the high ambient temperature (28°C) reduced both engine power and lift. Furthermore, the aircraft's mass was very close to its maximum takeoff mass (MTOM), which further degraded the climb rate. The investigation also noted that the pilot had flown very few hours in the 90 days preceding the accident.