What happened
On November 19, 2019, a Piper PA28, registration HK1328G, was conducting a solo training flight involving multiple circuits and landings at various aerodromes in Colombia, including Neiva, Mariquita, and Ibagué. The flight was part of the student's final phase of commercial pilot training.
While returning to Flandes, Tolima, for a final touch-and-go maneuver, the aircraft experienced a sudden engine failure. As the aircraft lost altitude, the pilot determined that reaching the runway was impossible. Following the advice of another pilot in the area, the pilot directed the aircraft toward the Magdalena River. The Piper PA2-8 successfully performed an emergency water landing at the confluence of the Bogotá and Magdalena Rivers. The pilot evacuated the aircraft and swam to the shore, where they were rescued by National Army personnel. The aircraft drifted downstream for approximately 15 minutes before sinking to a depth of 6.1 meters.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation focused on the flight planning, fuel management, and organizational oversight of the flight school. Investigators found that the flight plan did not adequately account for the total duration of the flight, specifically the time required for the numerous touch-and-go maneuvers. Furthermore, the student had traveled from Bogotá the previous night, arriving in the early morning, which may have contributed to pilot fatigue.
Technical analysis revealed that the aircraft had approximately 4 gallons of fuel remaining at the time of the failure. The investigation also noted that the student did not perform regular fuel tank changes as required by the Pilot's Operating Handbook, and the flight school lacked a robust system for monitoring solo student flights.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine failure was fuel starvation caused by low fuel levels in the wing tanks, which interrupted the fuel flow during a turn in the traffic pattern.
- The flight school lacked a clear fuel policy that required instructors and dispatchers to ensure flight plans were safely executable with the available fuel.
- There were organizational deficiencies regarding the planning and supervision of solo student flights, specifically a lack of procedures to monitor progress and provide decision-making support.
- The student failed to implement standard engine failure procedures, focusing instead on maintaining airspeed.