What happened
On March 15, 2006, a private PIPER PA-28-151, registration EC-CYE, departed from Mutxamel Aerodrome for a local pleasure flight. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and three passengers. Approximately one hour and ten minutes into the flight, while the aircraft was at an altitude of 1,000 feet and roughly 5 nautical miles from the aerodrome, the engine began to lose RPM and eventually stopped.
As the aircraft approached the town of Mutxamel, the pilot faced a critical decision due to the low altitude and the weight of the four occupants. To avoid descending over the populated area, the pilot opted for an immediate emergency landing in a nearby field. The landing site was characterized by uneven terrain and tall vegetation. During the landing roll, the right landing gear struck a hidden pile of bricks, causing the nose wheel to collapse. The aircraft came to a stop after a 150-meter roll.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of fuel management leading up to the engine failure. The pilot reported that the flight began using the right wing tank, and the switch to the left tank occurred approximately 45 minutes into the flight. When the engine first faltered, the pilot activated the fuel pump and carburetor heat, which temporarily restored smooth engine operation. However, after one minute, the engine began running discontinuously again. In an attempt to rectify the issue, the pilot switched the fuel selector back to the right tank, at which point the engine stopped.
Post-accident inspection of the wreckage confirmed that the fuel selector was set to the right tank at the time of the incident. Measurements of the remaining fuel revealed that the right tank contained 60 liters, while the left tank contained only 1 liter.
Findings
- The engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion in the left wing tank.
- The pilot's decision to switch back to the right tank occurred after the left tank had already been depleted.
- The pilot's delay in switching to the right tank after the initial engine fluctuations contributed to the loss of power.