What happened
On a ferry flight from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, to Goose Bay, a Cessna 188B, registration N6606Q, experienced a loss of engine power approximately 90 minutes into the journey. The aircraft was being transported from Canada to Uganda. While flying at 5,500 feet, the pilot attempted to transfer fuel from a modified ferry tank to the main wing tanks. During this process, the engine stopped producing power, forcing the pilot to perform an emergency landing in a snow-covered bog approximately 19 nautical miles west-northwest of Badger. The aircraft nosed over during the landing roll, but the pilot escaped without injury.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's modified fuel system, which included a hopper tank designed to extend the aircraft's range. Investigators examined the fuel lines, filters, and engine components, including the Wicks filter assembly and the fuel servo injector. The probe revealed that the fuel system was heavily contaminated with both water and solid particles.
Evidence showed that the Wicks filter contained approximately 60 per cent water and significant corrosion residue. Furthermore, the fuel strainer assembly and fuel flow divider were heavily contaminated with solid particles. While the pilot had performed a pre-flight check of the main tanks, the ferry tank had been dry at the time, and there were no specific instructions in the flight supplement regarding the inspection of the Wicks filter assembly. Additionally, the investigation looked into the history of the aircraft, noting that a previous ferry attempt had encountered fuel transfer issues that were never formally recorded in the aircraft logbook.