Event Description
On March 13, 2014, a Cessna 150 (registration I-RIFI) experienced an engine failure during a transfer flight from Fiano Romano to Ancona, Italy. The pilot performed an emergency landing in the vicinity of Cingoli (MC). The sole occupant, the pilot, was uninjured, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
Investigation Findings
The investigation, conducted by the Italian National Agency for Flight Safety (ANSV), relied primarily on pilot statements. The pilot reported that before departure at 08:10 UTC, fuel gauges indicated a level slightly below half. A visual check confirmed fuel presence. The planned route via Rieti, Spoleto, San Severino, and Jesi was estimated to require 1 hour 10 minutes, with a calculated endurance of 2 hours. The emergency began at an altitude of 3,000 feet.
After landing, a visual inspection of the fuel tanks suggested they were empty; the gauges showed less than one-quarter in the right tank and nearly zero in the left. A subsequent test of the fuel indicating system, conducted in accordance with Cessna Service Bulletin 99-18r11 by a certified maintenance facility on April 17, 2014, found the gauges to be functioning within limits.
Cause
The engine shutdown was caused by fuel exhaustion. Contributing factors included an imprecise check of the actual fuel quantity before takeoff and the presence of a headwind, which was not adequately accounted for during flight planning and may have increased fuel consumption.