Introduction
On 14 May 2010, a Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-DYX, experienced a fuel-related incident while operating a scheduled passenger flight from Stansted Airport (UK) to Alicante Airport (Spain). The flight crew consisted of two pilots, and there were four flight attendants and 170 passengers on board. The incident occurred during the approach to Valencia Airport (LEVC) at approximately 18:30 UTC.
Flight Details
The aircraft departed from Stansted with a planned destination of Alicante. Upon arrival at Alicante, the crew attempted an approach to runway 10 but executed a go-around due to windshear conditions. A second approach to runway 28 was also abandoned because of similar adverse wind conditions. The crew then decided to divert to Valencia Airport.
Incident Sequence
During the diversion, the crew declared an urgency (PAN-PAN) as fuel quantity had fallen below the final reserve. As the approach to Valencia began, the situation escalated, and the crew declared a MAYDAY emergency. The aircraft landed uneventfully on runway 12 at Valencia Airport.
Fuel Situation
After landing, the fuel quantity was checked and found to be below the final reserve fuel level. The aircraft was refueled at Valencia before continuing its flight to Alicante, where it eventually landed at 21:40 UTC without further incident.
Investigation
The Spanish Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC) investigated the incident under reference IN-010/2010. The investigation focused on fuel calculation, weather information, go-around decisions, and emergency handling. No probable cause was explicitly stated in the available summary.