Engine failure during practice air display near Goodwood

Casualties unknown • 1.5 miles from Goodwood Aerodrome, West Sussex, GB

A pilot performing a high-speed, low-level pass in a Harvard IIB experienced engine failure due to fuel exhaustion, resulting in a gear-up landing in a field.

What happened

On 22 July 2011, an AT-16 Harvard IIB, registration G-AZSC, was performing a low-level maneuver as part of a practice air display near Goodwood Aerodrome, West Sussex. During a high-speed dive from 2,000 ft to 200 ft, the aircraft reached a speed of 240 mph. While leveling out along the runway heading, a low fuel pressure warning light illuminated, and the engine subsequently stopped.

In an attempt to maintain control, the pilot climbed to increase altitude and reduce airspeed. Although the pilot attempted to deploy the landing gear, the rapid decay in airspeed made a gear-down landing in the direction of travel impossible. To reach a more suitable landing site, the pilot retracted the gear to maintain a 100 mph glide speed. The aircraft completed a smooth, gear-up landing in a nearby crop field, stopping well before the field boundary. The pilot was uninjured.

The investigation

The investigation focused on the cause of the engine failure and the discrepancy regarding fuel levels. While the pilot initially believed the fuel gauges indicated approximately 30 gallons in each tank prior to the dive, the investigation established that the left gauge's warning light was non-functional.

Post-accident inspections revealed that the left wing fuel tank contained approximately 14 gallons of fuel in the reserve section, but the main tank was empty. The aircraft's fuel system was found to be in good working order. The investigation also examined the pilot's understanding of the fuel remaining, noting that the pilot had relied on information provided by the previous pilot regarding flight duration and fuel usage.

Findings

  • The engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion in the left wing main tank.
  • The pilot had miscalculated the remaining fuel based on an incorrect understanding of the previous flight's duration.
  • The left fuel gauge's low-pressure warning light was inoperative, preventing early detection of the pressure drop.
  • The pilot's decision to retract the landing gear was necessary to maintain the glide speed required to reach the landing site.

Probable cause

The engine failure was caused by the depletion of fuel in the left wing main tank, stemming from the pilot's miscalculation of remaining fuel reserves based on inaccurate information regarding the previous flight's duration.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2011-07-22 AT-16 Harvard IIB accident near 1.5 miles from Goodwood Aerodrome, West Sussex, GB?

A pilot performing a high-speed, low-level pass in a Harvard IIB experienced engine failure due to fuel exhaustion, resulting in a gear-up landing in a field.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2011-07-22 involved a AT-16 Harvard IIB, registration G-AZSC, at 1.5 miles from Goodwood Aerodrome, West Sussex, GB.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The engine failure was caused by the depletion of fuel in the left wing main tank, stemming from the pilot's miscalculation of remaining fuel reserves based on inaccurate information regarding the previous flight's duration.

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