Incident Overview
On Wednesday, June 15, 2011, at approximately 15:30 local time, a Piper PA-28 aircraft registered as F-BUUD was involved in an accident near the Montélimar aerodrome in Ancone (26). The flight was a roughly 30-minute introductory tour operated by a flying club. During the final approach at an altitude of about 400 feet, the pilot experienced a progressive loss of power followed by a complete engine stoppage.
Accident Sequence and Damage
Assessing that the runway could not be reached, the pilot initiated a forced landing in open countryside. The aircraft struck an embankment, performed a somersault, and came to rest. Post-accident inspections revealed severe damage to both wings, the fuselage, the propeller, and the landing gear. The pilot sustained minor injuries, while the passenger was not reported injured.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the engine and accessories did not reveal any mechanical malfunction that could explain the stoppage. The aircraft is equipped with two wing tanks, each with a capacity of 94.5 liters (4 liters unusable), controlled by a fuel selector switch. Pre-flight visual checks indicated the left tank contained between 60 and 70 liters, while the right tank was estimated to hold only 5 to 10 liters.
Post-accident measurements confirmed the left tank held more than 60 liters and the right tank less than 5 liters. The pilot stated that the fuel selector remained on the left tank throughout the flight and was not switched to the other tank during the emergency, contrary to standard procedures. Although the pilot claimed to have used the left tank, post-accident fuel quantities suggest the aircraft may have been consuming from the right tank, which contained insufficient fuel for the duration of the flight.