What happened
On February 16, 2000, a Piper PA-25-235 was conducting its final scheduled spraying mission of the day at the El Paraíso plantation. The aircraft departed from the Silok airstrip at approximately 19:18 UTC. While the flight plan intended for the aircraft to proceed to the El Limón airfield for overnight parking, the pilot decided to deviate from the original route to perform an aerial reconnaissance of a different plantation near Quinindé.
While overflying the Hacienda Magali in the Esmeraldas province, the engine ceased operation. The pilot was forced to execute an emergency landing within a banana plantation. The aircraft struck several trees during its descent before coming to rest. Although the impact caused significant damage to the airframe, including damage to the wings, fuselage, and landing gear, the pilot escaped the wreckage without injury.
The investigation
The investigation focused on determining the cause of the engine failure and evaluating the fuel management practices of the operator. Investigators examined the aircraft's tachometer readings, which showed the final flight lasted 42 minutes. Based on the aircraft's fuel consumption rate, investigators determined that the aircraft actually departed with only 11.2 gallons of fuel, rather than the planned 25 gallons.
Discrepancies were noted in the company's daily flight logs regarding fuel consumption and flight times. While the mechanic claimed to have topped up the tank to 25 gallons by adding 11 gallons to a presumed 14-gallon remainder, there was no physical evidence or reliable testimony to confirm the initial amount of fuel in the tanks. Furthermore, the investigation found that the aircraft was equipped with an unauthorized propeller model, though this was not determined to be a factor in the accident.
Findings
- The engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion resulting from an error in estimating the remaining fuel volume.
- There was a critical lack of verification regarding actual fuel quantities by both the pilot and the mechanic.
- The pilot relied solely on verbal confirmation from the ground crew rather than physically verifying the fuel level.
- The pilot's decision to perform an unplanned reconnaissance flight extended the flight duration beyond the safety margin provided by the actual fuel on board.
- Inaccurate fuel management practices were prevalent within the company, with fuel loading based on assumptions rather than precise measurements.