Cessna 152 Emergency Landing at EBZW Due to Fuel Starvation

Incident Overview and Flight History On 17 May 2014, a Cessna 152 aircraft, registered in Belgium, was involved in an accident during a cross-country navigation flight. The aircraft, which had a total flight time of 7,674:27 hours, was equipped with a single Lycoming O-235-N2C engine. The flight originated from EBZW, proceeded to EBUL via Zeeland in the Netherlands, and was returning to EBZW when the incident occurred. The two pilots, both holding PPL licenses, had switched seats for the return leg. The flight plan was filed, and the aircraft was fueled prior to departure, with the pilots consulting the Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) to estimate a four-hour autonomy. During the return flight, the aircraft encountered a strong headwind and turbulence. Above Waremme, the pilots checked the fuel quantity indicators, which showed the left tank at a quarter full and the right tank between a half and a quarter full. Despite considering a deviation to EBST or EBLG for refueling, the pilots decided to continue directly to EBZW due to time constraints and the aircraft being booked by other pilots. As the aircraft approached EBZW, the fuel indicators showed the left tank between empty and a quarter full, and the right tank at a quarter full. Upon entering the landing pattern at 1,200 feet, the engine began to cough and subsequently stopped. The pilot attempted to restart the engine by pumping the throttle but was unsuccessful. The aircraft lost altitude, and the pilot selected a zone for an emergency landing. The landing was normal, but the nose wheel fell into a ditch at the end of the roll, breaking off. The two pilots exited the aircraft uninjured, and a passer-by noted a strong fuel odor.