What happened
A flight departing from Varberg/Getterön Airport, intended as a short-duration mission, resulted in an accident shortly after takeoff. The aircraft, carrying a pilot and one passenger, experienced a sudden engine shutdown immediately after becoming airborne. While the pilot attempted to restart the engine, the aircraft lost sufficient airspeed to enter a stall. This led to an increased rate of descent, causing the left wing to strike the ground. The impact caused substantial damage to the fuselage and wings of the aircraft type. The pilot sustained serious injuries, while the passenger suffered minor injuries.
The investigation
Technical examinations of the engine revealed that a metal plate responsible for driving the fuel pump diaphragm had detached. Investigators found that a flattened rivet head on the drive plates had not been expanded sufficiently during assembly. Furthermore, the investigation determined that the fuel pump installed in the engine was not an approved component for that specific engine model. Although the engine had recently undergone an overhaul, the use of this non-approved part went undetected by the maintenance organization, the technician responsible for the engine reinstallation, and the Swedish Soaring Federation’s airworthiness organization (SFF CAMO).
Findings
SHK concluded that the primary cause of the engine failure was a faulty assembly of the drive plates, which allowed a plate to come loose. A significant contributing factor was the failure of safety barriers to prevent the installation of an unapproved fuel pump. The investigation also noted that the pilot's limited experience, training, and mental preparedness contributed to the severity of the accident, as they struggled to manage the situation according to the emergency checklist.
Safety action
To prevent similar occurrences, the Swedish Soaring Federation has been recommended to collaborate with the Swedish Transport Agency on several fronts:
- Creating a training plan to improve knowledge regarding regulations for life-limited components among technicians and airworthiness reviewers.
- Developing more robust procedures for airworthiness reviews.
- Reminding pilots of the necessity of reviewing emergency checklists prior to every flight.