What happened
On May 23, 2024, a Piper PA-3．2RT-300, registration OB-1902, operated by Red Wing Aviation S.R.L., was conducting a passenger flight from Pucallpa to Contamana, Peru. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and five passengers.
While descending approximately 20 nautical miles from the Contamana aerodrome, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power followed by a complete engine shutdown. The pilot attempted to restart the engine by selecting the fuel tank selector, but the attempt was unsuccessful. Unable to reach the intended destination, the pilot identified an island in the Ucayali River and executed an emergency landing. To mitigate the risk of the aircraft flipping upon impact with the uneven terrain, the pilot opted to land with the landing gear retracted. The aircraft slid approximately 100 meters before coming to a stop. The propeller blades struck the ground and sustained slight bending, and the engine suffered internal damage, but there were no injuries to the six occupants.
The investigation
The investigation conducted by the CIAA examined the aircraft's maintenance history, the engine components, and the pilot's performance. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy, with all required inspections and documentation up to date. The pilot was found to be fully qualified, with a valid medical certificate and appropriate type ratings.
Technical analysis of the engine focused on the fuel delivery system. The investigation involved the disassembly and examination of the fuel injector servo at a certified workshop in the United States. This examination revealed that a failure within the component had led to the fuel leak.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a loss of engine power resulting from a fuel leak in the fuel injector servo.
- This leak prevented an adequate fuel supply to the engine, leading to the engine shutdown.
- A contributing factor was the failure of an internal bearing within the fuel injector servo.
- Notably, this component failure occurred despite the part having significant remaining service life, with only 156.3 hours of operation out of a 2,000-hour total life cycle, and having been installed relatively recently on March 8, 2024.
Safety action
- It is recommended that maintenance organizations (OMA) working with these types of components implement more rigorous and detailed inspection procedures for fuel injector servos, particularly for components that have been recently installed.