What happened
On March 22, 2003, a CASA 1131 E, registration EC-DAL, was performing local pleasure flights at the private La Axarquía–Leoni Benabú aerodrome in Málaga. During the third circuit of the flight, while turning to the downwind leg, the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot successfully restored power by using the manual fuel pump. However, midway through the downwind leg, the engine failed a second time; despite another attempt to use the manual pump, the engine could not be recovered.
In response to the failure, the pilot attempted an emergency landing on runway 13. The aircraft contacted the runway misaligned with the centerline and at an excessive descent rate, causing it to bounce back into the air. The aircraft then drifted left, striking the runway strip. A second hard impact caused another bounce, during which the left main landing gear struck the wingtip of a parked aircraft and then the rear of a vehicle on the apron. The sequence ended when the aircraft struck the airfield's perimeter fence.
Both the pilot and the passenger were uninjured.
The investigation
Following the accident, investigators examined the electrical and fuel systems of the aircraft at a hangar near Valencia. While the electrical system showed no abnormalities, the investigation of the fuel system revealed that the fuel in the tanks contained a small amount of water. Crucially, a significant amount of water was discovered within the fuel selector valve. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's fuel system lacked any mechanism for draining the tanks.
Findings
- The engine failure was likely caused by water entering the cylinders via the fuel system.
- The presence of water was facilitated by the fact that the fuel system was not equipped with any drainage elements.
- The runway excursion and subsequent bounces were caused by the aircraft's misalignment with the runway and an excessive descent speed during the landing attempt.