What happened
On July 15, 2017, a Cessna A185F, registration F-BXSG, was performing a skydive operation at the "Porta della Maremma" airpark near Cecina, Italy. The aircraft was carrying five people: the pilot, two tandem instructors, and two tandem passengers. Shortly after rotation, the engine suffered a sudden and rapid loss of power, leading to a complete shutdown. The aircraft subsequently impacted the ground in a nearby field. The impact resulted in one fatality (the pilot) and four injuries (the remaining crew and passengers, who sustained minor trauma).
The investigation
The ANSV investigation examined the aircraft's mechanical state, the cockpit configuration, and video footage from a GoPro camera carried by one of the passengers. The investigation revealed that the aircraft's fuel selector was positioned in the "OFF" position. Crucially, the aircraft was missing a manufacturer-specified protective cover for the fuel valve handle, a component designed to act as a safety barrier by preventing the selector from being turned to the "OFF" position.
Technical analysis of the engine showed no internal defects or pre-existing failures that would have caused the power loss. Instead, the investigation determined that the engine ran until the small amount of fuel in the fuel accumulator tank (approximately 1 USG) was exhausted. Analysis of the GoPro footage confirmed that the engine power dropped linearly and rapidly, followed by a period where the pilot's head was lowered into the cockpit, likely attempting to diagnose the failure.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the loss of control during a critical phase of flight (low speed, initial climb, and low altitude) due to an aerodynamic stall.
- The engine failure was triggered by a lack of fuel supply caused by the pilot's improper management of the fuel selector valve.
- The absence of the protective cover on the fuel valve handle removed a vital safety barrier that would have prevented the selector from being moved to the "OFF" position.
- The pilot's attention was diverted from flight controls to instrument diagnosis during the sudden power loss (startle effect).
- The pilot failed to maintain the required airspeed and bank angle specified in the flight manual for an engine failure after takeoff, and did not implement the recommended emergency procedures for a forced landing.