What happened
On August 31, 2024, at approximately 11:33 h, a PIPER PA-38 with registration EC-KYX crashed near the AERODEL aerodrome in Villarrubia, Córdoba. The aircraft was conducting a private local flight with a pilot and one passenger on board.
The flight began with a departure from runway 16. For approximately 50 minutes, the aircraft flew patterns to the south and west of the aerodrome. The pilot completed three successful landing and takeoff circuits. During the fourth circuit, while transitioning from the downwind leg to the base leg, the engine ceased operation.
Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft's nose pitch up, followed by an unusual engine noise and the subsequent loss of power. The aircraft entered a right-hand turn and descended rapidly toward the ground. The impact occurred in a plowed field northwest of the aerodrome. Both occupants sustained serious injuries; the passenger later passed away in the hospital.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation examined the aircraft's flight history, maintenance records, and fuel consumption. Although the aircraft was not equipped with flight recorders, GPS fleet tracking data allowed investigators to reconstruct the flight profile.
Investigators analyzed the fuel levels, noting that the aircraft had been refueled earlier that morning. By calculating the engine's running time and consumption rates during both the initial flight and the accident flight, the investigation determined that the fuel in the right-hand tank had been exhausted. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's configuration at the time of impact, finding the fuel selector valve set to the right tank and the fuel pump turned off.
Findings
- The engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion in the right-hand tank, which was the tank selected by the pilot.
- The pilot failed to follow the pre-landing checklist, specifically the requirement to select the fullest fuel tank during the downwind leg.
- The aircraft entered a stall due to a high angle of attack and low airspeed during the turn from downwind to base.
- The low altitude at which the engine failure occurred left the crew with insufficient margin to recover from the stall once the engine stopped.