What happened
Shortly after departing the runway, the Rockwell 114, registration VH-WMM, suffered a complete loss of engine power. The engine failure was likely caused by fuel starvation. During the subsequent attempt to return to the airfield, the pilot failed to maintain the required glide speed, and the extension of the undercarriage further reduced the aircraft's gliding range. Consequently, the aircraft struck shallow water approximately 170 meters from the shore, where it became inverted. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries reported in this occurrence.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the power loss and the pilot's management of the emergency. Evidence from passenger video indicated that the pilot was distracted by a perceived engine issue during pre-takeoff checks. After mistakenly identifying an engine control, the pilot proceeded to takeoff without completing the remaining required checks.
Analysis of the fuel system revealed a significant imbalance, with a substantial amount of fuel located in the right wing. The investigation found that the fuel selector was set to the left tank, which contained minimal fuel. This configuration led to the engine being starved of fuel from the right wing as the aircraft climbed. Furthermore, the investigation found that the pilot did not perform the necessary emergency procedures to rectify the fuel starvation, such as switching the fuel selector or activating the auxiliary fuel pump. The pilot also failed to maintain the published glide speed of 82 kt, as evidenced by repeated stall warnings.
Findings
- The pilot did not utilize the approved checklists from the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), which would have prompted the setting of the fuel selector to BOTH.
- A distraction during pre-takeoff checks resulted in the omission of critical items, specifically the fuel tank selection.
- The fuel selector was likely left on the left tank, causing the engine to stop due to the lack of fuel in that tank despite available fuel in the right wing.
- The extension of the undercarriage during the glide attempt decreased the aircraft's ability to reach the runway.
- The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and the lack of initial emergency actions contributed to the impact.
- Factors such as the lack of an emergency briefing for passengers and the seating of a child near an exit potentially impacted the ability to escape the inverted aircraft.