What happened
On 14 January 2025, an Air Inuit De Havilland DHC-8-314 was performing a scheduled flight from La Grande Rivière Airport (CYGL) to Montréal/Pierre Elliott . The aircraft was carrying 6 passengers and 3 crew members. Roughly 1 hour and 50 minutes into the cruise phase of the flight, the left engine ceased operation after running out of fuel. The flight crew declared an emergency with air traffic control and diverted the aircraft to Chibougamau/Chapais Airport (CYMT), where they landed safely with 0 fatalities and 0 injuries.
The investigation
The investigation established that the aircraft had recently undergone several months of maintenance following damage to the nose landing gear and fuselage sustained during a towing incident. As this was the aircraft's first flight following those repairs, the crew lacked recent data regarding the fuel levels from the previous flight.
Investigators found that the fuel quantity indicator located on the nacelle’s refuelling panel was seized, providing an inaccurate reading. While the cockpit fuel quantity indicator had previously been identified as defective, the crew had deferred the repair under the aircraft's minimum equipment list (MEL). Under the provisions of the MEL, the crew relied on the nacelle's refuelling panel or a magnetic indicator to verify fuel levels. However, the engine's fuel quantity indicator suggested sufficient fuel was available for the trip, when in reality, the tank was depleted.
Flight recorder data analysis confirmed that the cockpit indicator was actually providing an accurate reading, which indicated that the fuel level in the affected tank was insufficient for the planned mission.
Findings
- The left engine shut down because it ran out of fuel during flight.
- The fuel quantity indicator on the nacelle’s refuelling panel was seized and provided an incorrect measurement.
- The crew was using procedures permitted by the minimum equipment list (MEL) to verify fuel levels due to a known defect in the cockpit indicator.
- The process of comparing the nacelle-mounted indicator with the cockpit indicator under MEL conditions can result in inaccurate fuel assessments.
Safety action
- On 10 June 2025, the TSB issued Air Transportation Safety Advisory Letter A25Q0007-D1-A1 to alert industry stakeholders to the identified safety concerns.