Engine Failure Due to Fuel Starvation Leads to Emergency Landing in Rio de Janeiro

Casualties unknown • RIO DE JANEIRO, RJ, BR

A Cessna 185 A experienced a total engine failure during a flight from Maricá to Jacarepaguá, resulting in an emergency landing on a beach.

What happened

On April 3, 2008, a Cessna 185 A, registration PT-DID, departed from Maricá Aerodrome (SDMC) bound for Jacarepaguá Aerodrome (SBJR) carrying a pilot and two passengers. During the flight under visual flight rules (VFR), the pilot contacted Jacarepaguá Tower and subsequently noticed a sudden loss of engine power. While the engine briefly regained power for a few seconds, it soon suffered a definitive failure.

Realizing that the distance to the intended destination was too great to attempt a glide, the pilot declared an emergency and executed an emergency landing on the sand of Barra da Tijuca beach. The aircraft sustained light damage to the engine cowling and propeller spinner, but the pilot and both passengers emerged uninjured.

The investigation

CENIPA's investigation focused on the fuel management and the circumstances leading to the engine failure. Investigators found that the aircraft's fuel quantity indicator was inoperable or inaccurate. To verify fuel levels, the pilot had relied on a visual check performed by the aircraft owner using an improvised wooden dipstick with unreliable graduations.

The investigation revealed that the aircraft had performed several flights for parachute jumping on the preceding days (March 29 and 30) without being refueled. Based on the flight time and average consumption, the remaining fuel was insufficient to meet the minimum VFR requirements. Furthermore, because the engine was fed simultaneously from both wing tanks without a selector valve, the engine failed when air entered the fuel line after the right tank became empty, even though 15 liters remained in the left tank.

Findings

  • The engine stopped due to fuel starvation.
  • The pilot failed to perform a proper pre-flight fuel verification and instead delegated the task to a third party.
  • The pilot did not calculate the required fuel for the flight, relying solely on the owner's visual estimation.
  • The use of an improvised and unreliable wooden dipstick for fuel measurement contributed to the error.
  • The aircraft's fuel gauges were unreliable, and the lack of a fuel selector valve allowed the engine to fail once one tank was depleted.

Probable cause

The engine failure was caused by fuel starvation resulting from inadequate flight planning and a failure to verify sufficient fuel reserves, compounded by the use of unreliable fuel measurement methods.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2008-04-03 aircraft accident near RIO DE JANEIRO, RJ, BR?

A Cessna 185 A experienced a total engine failure during a flight from Maricá to Jacarepaguá, resulting in an emergency landing on a beach.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2008-04-03 involved a aircraft, registration PTDID, at RIO DE JANEIRO, RJ, BR.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The engine failure was caused by fuel starvation resulting from inadequate flight planning and a failure to verify sufficient fuel reserves, compounded by the use of unreliable fuel measurement methods.

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