What happened
On May 19, 2015, a Twin-engine Piper PA30 «Twin Comanche», registered G-SURG, was conducting a private flight from the United Kingdom to Bergerac, France. During the approach to Bergerac, the pilot encountered a malfunction where the landing gear failed to extend via the standard controls.
For approximately 35 minutes, the crew—which included a highly experienced commercial pilot as a passenger—attempted both standard and emergency extension procedures. During these low-altitude flyovers, the crew focused on troubleshooting the gear and communicating with air traffic control. While managing the gear issue, the left engine lost power. The passenger took control of the aircraft, but during the subsequent descent, the left engine suffered from fuel starvation. Unable to reach the runway, the passenger opted for a forced landing in a cultivated field. The aircraft struck trees in an orchard, resulting in one passenger slightly injured and severe damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The BEA examined the aircraft's fuel systems, the landing gear mechanism, and the crew's actions. Investigators found that the main fuel tanks were empty upon impact, while the auxiliary tanks still contained fuel. The investigation also reviewed the crew's task-sharing and their management of the landing gear anomaly. While the exact cause of the landing gear failure could not be determined, the investigation focused on why the engine failure occurred during the troubleshooting process.
Findings
- The left engine lost power due to fuel starvation.
- The crew's attention was heavily diverted by the landing gear malfunction, leading to a failure to monitor the decreasing fuel levels in the main tanks.
- The improvised task-sharing between the pilot and the passenger helped manage the immediate gear issue but failed to include necessary fuel management oversight.
- The aircraft lacked a low-fuel warning light, which could have alerted the crew to the critical fuel state.
- The passenger did not feather the propeller on the failed engine, which increased drag and contributed to the difficulty of maintaining flight.