What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2011-06-09 involved a Cessna F152, at -, BE.

Fuel Exhaustion Leads to Accident of Cessna F152 at Lommel

On June 9, 2011, a Cessna F152 was involved in an aviation accident near -, BE. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The cause of the accident was fuel exhaustion leading to a loss of engine power. This summary draws on records from the Belgian Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU(Be)).

During a cross-country training flight, a Cessna F152 experienced engine power loss due to fuel exhaustion. The instructor performed a forced landing in a field near Lommel, Belgium. The aircraft sustained damage and flipped over; both pilots evacuated safely.

History of Flight

The accident occurred on 09 June 2011 during a cross-country training flight in a Cessna F152. The student pilot had prepared the flight as part of his license requirements, calculating tracks and times using forecast winds. The planned route was from Balen/Keiheuvel (EBKH) to Kortrijk/Wevelgem (EBKT), then to Saint-Ghislain (EBSG), and back to EBKH, totaling about 202 nautical miles.

Prior to departure, the student pilot arrived at the airfield around 13:00 local time. He checked the oil and fuel by looking at the cockpit fuel quantity indicators, which showed both tanks full (72 lbs each). After towing the aircraft from the hangar to the fuel pump area, he completed a pre-flight walk-around. The instructor advised extra attention because the aircraft had undergone 200-hour maintenance the previous day and this was its first flight since.

Accident Sequence

After three takeoffs and two landings, the flight was returning to EBKH. While turning onto the base leg of the circuit, the student pilot reported the engine was losing power. After some confusion, the instructor took control when the aircraft was already on final approach. At approximately 650 feet AGL, both agreed they were too low and too slow to reach the runway. A heavy upwind and trees along the runway line posed additional risk. The instructor decided to turn toward an open area with a tailwind.

The aircraft first contacted the ground before a ditch. The pilot attempted to climb again, but the nose landing gear likely sustained impact damage during that maneuver. After crossing the first ditch and a road, the nose landing gear failed when entering a second ditch bordering the road. The engine plowed into the ground, and the aircraft flipped over.

Both pilots unbuckled and climbed out of the wreckage. The instructor alerted rescue services.

Wreckage and Impact

The accident site was located in a field in the industrial area of Lommel (coordinates N 051° 11.715' - E 005° 15.263'). The aircraft came to rest inverted. The nose landing gear was broken, and the engine had dug into the earth.

Cause

The investigation determined that the cause of the accident was fuel exhaustion, which led to a loss of engine power.

Probable cause

The cause of the accident was fuel exhaustion leading to a loss of engine power.

2011-06-09: Cessna F152 — -, BE