Incident
Shortly after departing from Valdepeñas Airport on runway 08, the aircraft experienced a simultaneous loss of power in both engines during the initial climb. The pilot initiated an emergency landing, and the aircraft crash-landed in an open field approximately 3 kilometers from the airfield. Both occupants exited the aircraft without injury, but the aircraft sustained damage beyond repair.
Investigation
Investigators determined that both engines stopped due to fuel exhaustion. The aircraft had been parked at Valdepeñas Airport for five days without surveillance, and it is believed that fuel was siphoned from the tanks during that period. The pilot admitted to not following published preflight procedures and did not verify that the fuel tanks contained sufficient fuel before departure. The pilot also reported that the fuel gauges had been intermittently failing, though this does not absolve the failure to perform a proper preflight check.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause states that both engines stopped simultaneously due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing factors include the theft of fuel while the aircraft was unattended and the pilot's failure to prepare the flight according to published procedures, specifically failing to confirm that the tanks were not empty before takeoff.