Cessna 182P Engine Failure and Crash in Alicante, Spain (EC-CKZ)

Incident Overview and Flight Details On March 10, 2002, a Cessna 182P with registration EC-CKZ, manufactured in 1974, was involved in an accident in the municipality of Torremendo, Alicante, Spain. The aircraft, powered by a single Continental O-470-R engine, was operating a non-commercial general aviation pleasure flight. The pilot in command, a 29-year-old male commercial pilot with 2,009 total flight hours, was accompanied by one passenger. The flight originated from Casarrubios aerodrome with a destination of San Javier airport in Murcia. The initial leg was a familiarization flight for the passenger. Due to low cloud ceilings, the aircraft flew at 4,000 to 4,500 feet instead of the planned 5,000 feet, landing at San Javier at 13:34 local time. At 16:00 local time, the aircraft departed San Javier for a local flight, performing four takeoffs and landings in the right-hand circuit before continuing. Approximately 10 nautical miles from the airport, the engine began to run roughly. The pilot checked the mixture, which was rich, and the propeller pitch, and switched the fuel selector to the right tank and then to both tanks. An emergency was declared to the control tower, and emergency procedures were initiated. At 16:30 local time, the pilot informed the tower of an impending emergency landing. The pilot initially considered an orange grove but turned to find a more suitable location. After passing near some pines and clearing a power line with little margin, the pilot prepared to land in an almond field. The engine then stopped completely. The terrain was slightly sloped to the left, causing the right main gear to contact the ground first, followed by the nose gear, which struck a small almond tree. The pilot attempted to lift the aircraft upon identifying a bank ahead but was unsuccessful, resulting in the nose wheel breaking. The aircraft carted over the propeller spinner, creating a two-meter furrow in the ground before coming to rest inverted. The right wingtip rested on an almond tree, breaking the wingtip. The occupants exited through the right side, as the left door was blocked by a folded fuselage. During the emergency landing preparation, the pilot provided incorrect location information to the control tower, prompting one occupant to search for mobile phone coverage to communicate the correct position. ## Investigation Findings and Probable Cause The aircraft had not been flown since September 8, 2001, leaving it grounded for six months. The day before the accident, the pilot performed fuel draining at Casarrubios, conducted a 20-minute local flight, and refueled the tanks to their maximum capacity of 60 gallons, adding 126 liters (approximately 33.3 gallons). The operations manual requires draining each tank by pulling the drain filter lever for at least four seconds, with further inspection if water is observed. Fuel samples taken from the drain filter at the accident site contained water. Flight controls maintained continuity, and instruments showed no abnormalities. Workshop tests confirmed the propeller rotated correctly, spark plugs showed light carbon deposits consistent with a rich mixture, and cylinder compression was within normal limits. Fuel consumption analysis indicated a total consumption of approximately 37.7 gallons, leaving an estimated 22.3 gallons in the tanks (9.43 gallons in the left tank and 12.87 gallons in the right tank). This ruled out fuel exhaustion as a cause. The probable cause of the accident was engine failure due to water ingestion from the fuel tanks. The water originated from condensation inside the tanks during the six-month grounding period, during which the tanks were at half capacity. This water caused the engine to run roughly initially before stopping. The investigation recommended preventive maintenance, including inspection of filters, lubricants, and fuel, after prolonged aircraft storage.