What happened
During a short-duration flight intended to last between 30 and 40 minutes, the pilot of VH-BDB, a Cessna 172, experienced a total loss of engine power while returning to Bankstown. The pilot had planned to operate the flight using only the left fuel tank, under the impression that the aircraft had a full fuel load. However, the aircraft had not been refuelled prior to departure, leaving approximately 35 minutes of fuel available in the left tank and 78 minutes in the right tank.
As the aircraft approached Bankstown, the engine ceased functioning due to fuel starvation. Although the pilot attempted some preliminary checks as the power declined, the pilot was unable to complete further actions before the engine failed completely. Faced with a total loss of power and difficult flying conditions, the pilot focused on maintaining control of the aircraft, which led to a forced landing.
The investigation
The investigation examined the fuel management and the pilot's pre-flight assumptions. It was determined that the pilot likely believed the aircraft was fully fuelled because he had performed a refuelling task on a different aircraft earlier that same day. This prior experience led to a misattribution of the fuel state for VH-BDB.
Findings
- The engine power loss was directly caused by fuel starvation resulting from the use of the left fuel tank.
- The pilot failed to switch to the right fuel tank during the initial stages of the power loss.
- A failure to change fuel tanks would likely have prevented the engine failure.
- The pilot's focus on aircraft control during a time-critical emergency prevented the performance of further diagnostic checks.