What happened
On July 2, 2016, a CESSNA C-150G, registration OB-1774, operated by Qualitta Flight Academy, was conducting a local flight training mission departing from Pucallpa International Airport (SPCL) in Peru. The crew consisted of a student pilot acting as pilot in command and an instructor pilot serving as safety pilot.
Approximately 86 minutes into the flight, while operating at 2,000 feet, the crew noticed a progressive drop in engine RPM, falling from 2,300 RPM to between 700 and 800 RPM. The engine began to sputter and lose power, making it impossible to maintain flight altitude. The instructor pilot took control of the aircraft and declared a 'MAYDAY' to the Pucallpa air traffic controller.
Seeking an emergency landing site, the instructor identified a path through a plantation. During the final approach to the unprepared field, the left wing struck a tree, causing the aircraft to veer sharply and crash into dense vegetation. The impact caused the aircraft to break into several pieces. The crew sustained serious injuries.
The investigation
The investigation conducted by the CIAA established that the engine failure was caused by the total exhaustion of fuel in flight. At the time of the emergency, the aircraft had only approximately 1.45 gallons of usable fuel remaining, representing just 6.4% of its total usable capacity.
The investigation revealed significant discrepancies in flight planning. While the flight plan indicated a 2-hour duration, the actual flight time exceeded the planned parameters. Furthermore, the investigation found that the crew relied solely on analog fuel gauges that had not been recently calibrated, and the aircraft lacked a fuel flow indicator to monitor consumption rates.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine power loss was fuel exhaustion resulting from inadequate refueling planning for the day's scheduled operations.
- Inefficient flight planning failed to account for necessary fuel reserves required for unexpected operational or weather changes in the jungle region.
- The crew lacked a secondary method, such as a dipstick, to verify fuel quantities via cross-check against the analog gauges.
- There were inconsistencies between the intended training objectives and the flight plan submitted to air traffic control.
- Communication during the emergency was hindered by potential malfunctions in the aircraft's communication equipment.