What happened
On 19 September 2006, a Cessna T303, registration D-IAFC, was conducting a commercial cargo flight from Braunschweig, Germany, to Oxford, England. While cruising at 10,000 feet, the aircraft's right engine began to run roughly approximately 30 nautical miles from the Suffolk coast. Upon inspection, the pilot found the fuel gauges indicating the 'red sector'. Shortly after, the right engine failed, followed by the left engine.
The pilot initiated an emergency descent and prepared for a ditching. At approximately 100 feet above the sea, the aircraft'ed tail and fuselage struck the water. The pilot successfully abandoned the aircraft through an emergency hatch and climbed onto the wing. Despite being in 17°C water without a lifejacket, the pilot was rescued from the sea 18 minutes later by a Royal Air Force Search and Rescue helicopter.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation established that the aircraft departed with significantly less fuel than the pilot had calculated. While the pilot believed the tanks had been refilled to full during a previous flight leg, records indicated only a partial uplift of fuel. This discrepancy meant the aircraft's actual endurance was much shorter than the planned flight time.
Furthermore, the investigation found that the aircraft's fuel gauges were notoriously inaccurate and the 'Digi-Flow' fuel flow meter was inoperative. The pilot had relied on personal calculations rather than monitoring the unreliable gauges. The investigation also noted that the pilot's cargo weight estimates were incorrect, which influenced his decision not to refuel to avoid exceeding the maximum takeoff weight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was insufficient fuel on board at the start of the flight.
- The pilot's lack of awareness regarding the actual fuel quantity was a significant causal factor.
- The pilot failed to monitor the unreliable fuel gauges, which prevented an early detection of the low fuel state.
- The inaccurate fuel gauges and the inoperative fuel flow meter contributed to the error in fuel planning.