What happened
On 24 September 2017, a Bulldog Series 1210, registration G-BHXB, was conducting a test flight from Eshott, Northumberland, following an extended period of engine maintenance. The pilot had visually checked the fuel levels before departure and estimated a remaining endurance of 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes into the flight, while cruising at 2,500 ft amsl, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine multiple times without success. During the period of power loss, the pilot verified that the fuel and ignition selections were correct and noted that the fuel gauges indicated each tank was approximately one-third full. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing near Embleton. There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, engine, nose landing gear, cowling, and fuselage.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation established that although the pilot believed there was sufficient fuel for the intended duration, the engine had ceased functioning due to a lack of fuel. An engineering organisation involved in recovering the aircraft from the site confirmed that the fuel tanks had run dry.
Because the aircraft was not equipped with a fuel flow meter, the pilot relied on visual checks and gauge readings. The investigation considered that the varying power settings used during the engine test flight likely caused the fuel to be consumed at a higher rate than the pilot's initial calculations had anticipated.