What happened
On November 12, 2015, a Cessna 182K, registration F-BOJU, was performing a local flight at Le Touquet aerodrome. The pilot, who was conducting the flight to become familiar with the aircraft, was accompanied by a passenger. After completing an initial takeoff and landing on runway 13, the aircraft began its initial climb when the engine suddenly lost power.
To avoid a localizer antenna, the pilot altered the flight path, and the passenger deployed full flaps. The aircraft performed a forced landing approximately 30 meters beyond the end of the runway. During the landing roll, both occupants applied the brakes simultaneously, causing the aircraft to slide 160 meters across wet grass before striking the aerodrome's perimeter fence. The aircraft sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
The BEA investigation focused on the engine failure and the aircraft's maintenance history. The aircraft had been stationary outdoors for over two years, with no recorded maintenance or engine runs since early 2015. While the aircraft had been granted a flight permit for a ferry flight, the investigation found that the aircraft's airworthiness certificate had actually expired two months prior.
Investigators examined the fuel system and found that the right tank contained between 0.75 and 1 liter of water. The carburetor bowl also contained a mixture of fuel and water. During the pre-flight inspection, the pilot had performed fuel sumping; however, because no fuel flowed from the right tank drain, the pilot mistakenly believed the right tank was empty. This belief was reinforced by a statement from the maintenance workshop head, who suggested he typically only drained the left tank during routine checks.
Findings
- Water contamination in the right fuel tank caused the engine power loss during the climb.
- The accumulation of water was likely due to condensation or a faulty fuel cap seal during prolonged outdoor storage.
- The right tank drain was likely seized or blocked due to corrosion, preventing the pilot from detecting the water during the pre-flight sump.
- The pilot did not perform a visual check of the fuel levels in the tanks and relied on the workshop head's verbal assurance.
- The fuel in the tanks was significantly aged, with approximately 75% of the fuel having remained in the aircraft for over 29 months, leading to degraded fuel characteristics.
- The engine failure occurred when the fuel selector was switched to the 'BOTH' position during the downwind leg, allowing the water to enter the fuel stream and reach the carburetor.