What happened
On March 18, 2006, a private Moragon M1, registration EC-ZHP, departed from Cuatro Vientos Airport in Madrid, intending to fly to Casarrubios Aerodrome for maintenance. After a normal climb to 3,000 feet, the pilot notified the tower of his intention to leave the circuit. Shortly after, the engine power suddenly dropped by approximately 33%.
Recognizing the abnormal engine performance, the pilot performed a 180-degree turn and declared an emergency. At approximately 650 feet, the engine ceased functioning entirely. The pilot deployed the flaps and attempted to maintain flight to reach the runway. While attempting to clear a line of trees, the aircraft's speed dropped to 40 km/h at an altitude of only 3 meters, causing the aircraft to enter a stall. The aircraft struck the ground approximately 90 meters before the start of runway 10. The impact caused the main landing gear to detach and the nose gear strut to bend heavily to the left. The pilot escaped the wreckage uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's condition, the pilot's actions, and the fuel system. Investigators found that the left fuel tank was empty, while the right tank, which contained approximately 20 liters of fuel, had its selector valve closed. The gascolator was found to be heavily contaminated with dirt, and the carburetor bowl was dry.
Testing with fuel from the right tank demonstrated that the engine could start immediately and run correctly. Furthermore, analysis of the fuel sample revealed it was 87.1 octane automotive gasoline, which did not meet the 100 octane AVGAS specification required by the aircraft's flight manual. The investigation also noted that the aircraft had been stationary for five months prior to the accident, and the propeller was cracked and lacked varnish. Additionally, the right wing's trailing edge had a hole covered with adhesive tape, and airport firefighters had previously noted issues with the main landing gear attachment.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine failure was the exhaustion of fuel from the active tank, as the pilot had selected the empty left tank for operation.
- The use of automotive gasoline instead of the specified 100 octane AVGAS was a contributing factor.
- The aircraft was in a neglected state, with significant defects in the propeller, wing, and landing gear that increased the overall risk of an accident.
- The pilot's decision to attempt a landing on the paved runway rather than utilizing the unobstructed grass area immediately before the runway threshold contributed to the severity of the aircraft damage.