What happened
On September 9, 2000, at approximately 11:00 local time, a MAULE M5-235-C (registration EC-ENV) departed from runway 12 at the Mutxamel aerodrome in Alicante, Spain. The aircraft, which was typically used for billboard towing operations, was performing a flight to Alicante airport specifically to refuel, as the Mutxamel airfield only provides fuel to aero-club members.
During the initial climb phase, following a turn after takeoff, the engine began to sputter and lost nearly all power. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in a nearby open field that appeared to be free of obstacles. While the landing itself was executed normally, the aircraft encountered an irrigation ditch near the end of the landing roll, causing the aircraft to capsize. The aircraft sustained important damage, including the breakage of the left main landing gear and general structural damage.
The investigation
Because the incident occurred in the immediate vicinity of the airfield, investigators were able to perform immediate inspections of the site and the aircraft. No fuel spills were detected on the ground at the scene. Upon inspection of the aircraft's fuel tanks, investigators found that the tanks were completely empty.
Findings
- The engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion.
- There was no evidence of fuel leakage from the tanks or loss of fuel during the brief duration of the flight.
- The aircraft likely departed the airfield with nearly empty tanks, suggesting that the pilot failed to verify the available fuel quantity prior to departure.