Synopsis
On 14 April 2012 at 17:05 UTC, a SOCATA MS880B (serial number 1796, registration N880V) operated by its owner-pilot, a 69-year-old male, crashed on a field bordering EBUL Ursel Airfield in Belgium. The pilot was conducting a training flight simulating engine failures. During the last exercise, while descending in a left-hand turn with the throttle reduced and carburetor heat on, the pilot realized at approximately 1000 ft AGL that he had missed the approach for runway 07. He initiated a go-around, but the engine did not respond when the throttle was opened. The pilot attempted to restart the engine using the starter, but was unsuccessful. He performed a forced landing in a field, during which the right wing struck a tree. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The aircraft suffered significant structural damage to both wings, fuselage, and nose landing gear, with the right wing being the most damaged.
History of Flight
After a five-month hiatus from flying due to medical reasons, the pilot resumed flying on 16 March 2012 and completed six flights before the accident. On the day of the accident, he took off alone from runway 07 to practice simulated forced landings. The first exercises used the right-hand fuel tank. For the final exercise, the pilot climbed to 2500 ft and initiated an engine failure simulation by reducing the throttle and turning on the carburetor heater. He described large left-hand circles while descending, leaving the electrical fuel pump off and selecting the left-hand tank. At approximately 1000 ft AGL, the pilot determined he was too high and too close to the threshold of runway 07, concluding he had missed the approach. He decided to go around, performed a right turn followed by a left turn to re-enter the circuit, and then opened the throttle. The engine failed to respond. The pilot attempted unsuccessfully to restart the engine using the starter. He then landed the aircraft in a field adjacent to the airfield, where the right wing collided with a tree just before touchdown.
Aircraft Information
The SOCATA MS880B is a single-engine, low-wing monoplane with all-metal construction and a fixed undercarriage, powered by a 100 hp Continental O-200-A engine. The specific aircraft, serial number 1796, was equipped with a three-position fuel selector valve (LEFT/OFF/RIGHT). A carburetor temperature indicator was installed but was unserviceable. The aircraft had undergone an FAA annual inspection on 22 September 2011, which included a top overhaul of the engine.
Pilot Information
The pilot, aged 69, held a valid FAA Commercial Pilot License (Airplane Single Engine Land) first issued on 14 June 2003, and a valid Second Class medical certificate renewed in October 2011. His total flight experience was 700 hours, including 360 hours as pilot-in-command of single-engine piston aircraft and 200 hours in dual controls. His last biannual flight review was on 29 January 2011. He had flown 38 hours on the accident aircraft since becoming its owner in May 2010. The pilot had not flown for five months from 16 October 2011 to 13 March 2012 due to health reasons.
Meteorological Conditions
The approximate meteorological conditions, based on METAR reports from Brussels and Oostende airports, were: temperature 9°C, dew point 3°C, wind from 10° at 13 knots, visibility greater than 10 km, and QNH 1008 hPa.
Damage
The aircraft sustained significant structural damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the nose landing gear. The right wing was the most damaged due to the collision with a tree. One tree was also damaged.
Causes
The accident was caused by an undetected engine failure during an exercise simulating an engine failure. The precise cause of the engine failure could not be determined with certainty. The investigation noted that the inoperative engine probably became inoperative due to fuel starvation, but carburetor icing could not be excluded as a contributing phenomenon.