Incident Overview
On Friday, June 14, 2013, at approximately 19:30 local time, a privately owned Piper J-3 with registration EC-ZKS experienced an in-flight emergency. The aircraft was operating under visual flight rules (VFR) with one pilot and one passenger on board. The incident occurred near the mouth of the Torrox River in the municipality of Torrox, Málaga.
Flight Sequence and Emergency
The aircraft departed from Aeródromo de La Axarquía-Leoni Benabú (LEAX) in Vélez-Málaga, heading toward Motril for an air festival. While flying over the sea at approximately 1,000 feet, the pilot attempted to test the smoke system installed for aerobatic displays. Immediately after activating the system's control, the engine stopped.
The pilot attempted to restart the engine without success. Recognizing that they were over water at low altitude, the pilot decided to execute a forced landing on a nearby triangular clearing at the Torrox river mouth. The aircraft touched down with a northerly heading but could not stop before reaching the N-340 highway embankment due to limited runway length.
Impact and Damage
The aircraft struck trees near the road and finally impacted a 1.5-meter high embankment, where it came to rest. The impact resulted in significant damage to the landing gear, both elevators, and the rudder. Both the pilot and the passenger were uninjured.
Probable Cause Analysis
Post-incident inspection revealed that the fuel selector valve was in the 'closed' position. The pilot recalled manipulating a switch located near the fuel control, intending to activate the smoke system. It is concluded that the pilot inadvertently closed the fuel valve instead of activating the smoke system, leading to engine failure.