What happened
On February 7, 2008, at approximately 5:20 PM, a Britten Norman BN-2A, registration HI-653, operated by Caribair S.A., performed an emergency landing in a sugarcane field near Batey El Prado, El Seybo. The aircraft was conducting a non-scheduled commercial passenger flight, returning from a tourist excursion.
While flying approximately 70 miles northwest of Punta Cana International Airport, the pilot decided to divert to La Romana International Airport as an alternate to refuel. This decision was prompted by uncertainty regarding the remaining fuel levels, as the fuel quantity indicator for the left tank was inoperable. During the diversion, the number one engine failed and subsequently stopped after a failed attempt to restart.
Recognizing that the failure was caused by fuel exhaustion, the pilot elected to perform an emergency landing in a dirt track between sugarcane fields to avoid a total loss of power. Although the pilot initially maintained control, the nose gear struck a rock after traveling approximately 100 feet, causing the aircraft to veer into the sugarcane plantation. All 9 occupants (the pilot and eight passengers) escaped the crash uninjured, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
The CIAA investigation focused on the fuel management practices and the operational status of the aircraft's instrumentation. Investigators examined the wreckage and found that the left fuel tank contained less than two liters of fuel, while the right tank held approximately eight gallons.
The investigation also reviewed the pilot's actions regarding the inoperable left fuel gauge. While the Minimum Equipment List (MEL) allows for certain inoperable components under specific time constraints, the investigation found that the gauge had been non-functional for several days without being properly reported. Furthermore, the pilot had not personally supervised the refueling process at the departure airport, leading to the initial uncertainty regarding fuel levels.
Findings
- The engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion in the left tank.
- The pilot failed to verify the actual amount of fuel loaded during the initial departure from Punta Cana.
- The left fuel quantity indicator was inoperable and had not been reported in the flight log.
- The pilot did not perform manual fuel level verification (such as using a dipstick) to compensate for the inoperable gauge.
- The emergency landing was complicated by the aircraft's inability to maintain the chosen path after the nose gear struck an obstacle.