What happened
On July 11, 2021, a Cessna Reims F-150L was conducting a local, non-commercial navigation flight departing from the Aerodrome of Namur/Suarléé (EBNM). Approximately 90 minutes into the flight, while en route, the aircraft's engine ceased operation. The pilot was forced to perform an emergency landing in a cultivated field located in Ernage (Gembloux).
Despite the forced landing, there were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger. The aircraft sustained no damage during the event and was subsequently able to depart from the site the following day after the Belgian CAA designated the landing area as a temporary airfield.
The investigation
To determine the cause of the engine failure, the AAIU(Be) conducted an examination involving the inspection of the aircraft and the collection of statements from the pilot. Investigators also performed tests regarding the aircraft's fuel consumption rates.
Findings
Post-landing inspections revealed that the right-hand fuel tank was completely empty. The left-hand tank contained between 12 and 14 liters of fuel, a volume that corresponds to the amount of unusable fuel in the system. The investigation established that the engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion.