Summary of Flight
A commercial flight operated with a Piper PA-31-310 aircraft, registration LN-NAB, was conducted on May 1, 2024, for the purpose of performing a three-dimensional scan east of Stockholm. Take-off and landing were planned at Stockholm/Västerås Airport, Västmanland County.
Accident Details
During the final phase of the flight, fuel exhaustion caused dual engine failures. The crew performed an emergency landing in a field in the vicinity of the airport. The landing resulted in structural damage to the left wing. There were no injuries to persons onboard.
Investigation Findings
The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) investigated the accident. The technical investigation revealed that the fuel gauges indicated unreliable values and that no usable fuel remained in the aircraft. The operator's fuel management and planning for the mission duration proved inadequate. Specifically, the investigation identified the following contributing factors: absence of accurate fuel consumption data, lack of prerequisites to establish a sufficiently detailed operational flight plan, unreliable fuel gauge indications, and an operator safety management system that had not fully addressed the specific challenges and risks posed by the operation.
Conclusions and Causes
The accident was the result of a number of factors which together caused the engines to fail due to fuel exhaustion, resulting in an emergency landing. Shortcomings in planning, implementation, and follow-up within the operator's operations contributed to the risks not being managed appropriately.
Actions Taken
Following the accident, the operator introduced measures to improve fuel measurement and documentation, including increased requirements for fuel reserve and annual calibration of the fuel gauges. SHK did not issue any safety recommendations as the operator had taken satisfactory measures.