On July 5, 2009, a Cessna 152 II (registration EC-DNN) was involved in an aviation accident near El Padul (Granada), ES. No fatalities were reported. This summary draws on records from the Spanish Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC).
On July 5, 2009, a Cessna 152-II (EC-DNN) operated by Gesplane made an emergency landing on the A-44 highway near El Padul, Granada, after experiencing engine power loss. The pilot and passenger were uninjured, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
Incident Overview and Flight Details On the morning of July 5, 2009, a Cessna 152-II with registration EC-DNN, operated by Gesplane, conducted a private visual flight rules (VFR) flight from Granada (LEGR) to Almería (LEAM). The aircraft was a single-engine, two-seat, high-wing model manufactured in 1980, powered by a Lycoming O-235-L2C engine. At the time of the incident, the aircraft had accumulated 3,521 total flight hours, and the engine had 153:08 hours since overhaul or manufacture. The pilot, a 38-year-old private pilot with 83:57 total flight hours and 12:51 hours on type, was accompanied by one passenger. The return flight from Almería to Granada began at 16:15 local time. Approximately 45 minutes into the flight, while cruising at 4,500 feet, the pilot observed the engine beginning to lose power. Despite attempts to restore power, the pilot elected to make an emergency landing on the A-44 highway (Autovía de Sierra Nevada) near kilometer marker 148 in the municipality of El Padul, Granada, where traffic was light. The aircraft touched down in the direction of Granada with the engine still running but providing no power. ## Pilot Actions and In-Flight Observations Prior to the flight, the pilot did not directly check the fuel quantity because the fuel dipstick was not found. The fuel quantity indicators showed both tanks at approximately half capacity before departure. During the outbound flight to Almería, which lasted one hour and ten minutes, no issues were observed, and the aircraft did not refuel upon arrival. When the engine lost power, the revolutions per minute (rpm) dropped to 1,200 and fluctuated two or three times before stabilizing at that level. The pilot immediately set the mixture to rich, confirmed the fuel selector valve was open, and advanced the throttle fully, but the rpm did not increase. The engine did not shut down in flight. The pilot performed left and right bank maneuvers to improve fuel supply to the engine. The fuel gauges indicated approximately one-quarter capacity in both tanks, with noticeable oscillations, particularly in the right tank. The pilot used the fuel primer without success and confirmed that oil temperature and pressure remained within normal operating limits. As the power loss proved unrecoverable, the pilot selected the A-44 highway for an emergency landing after verifying light traffic. Just before landing, the left fuel gauge indicated an empty tank, while the right gauge showed an unspecified amount of fuel. The pilot also noted that the ignition key could be removed from its housing even with the engine running. ## Post-Incident Inspection and Findings Following the incident, the fuel tanks were drained, recovering 20 liters of fuel from the right wing tank; the left wing tank contained no fuel. A detailed inspection of the engine and fuel system revealed the following: - Fuel lines from the tanks to the engine were in good condition with no leaks. - The fuel tank venting system showed no obstructions. - The carburetor heat system functioned correctly and contained no foreign objects. - The engine intake and alternate intake systems were free of obstructions, damage, or contamination, and operated normally. - Spark plug wires were in good condition, and the spark plugs exhibited a whitish color indicative of a lean mixture. - Magnetos were in normal condition, and internal inspection of one magneto showed all components in good condition with proper point gap. - The exhaust system had no leaks and all components were in adequate condition. - The throttle control had no binding or stops in its travel, but the friction nut controlling its stiffness was not properly adjusted. - The mixture control had free travel, but its mounting on the instrument panel was deficient due to an insufficiently tightened fixing nut. - The engine tachometer and its transmission to the engine showed no anomalies. - The fuel dipstick was found inside the aircraft cabin. - Fuel was leaking from the intake manifold at the connection to the carburetor because no sealing material had been applied to the joint. - The fuel selector valve in the cabin was in the open position, allowing fuel from both tanks. - The fuel output filter (gascolator) contained impurities and corrosion in the housing, and its rubber drain cap had come loose and fallen to the bottom, preventing proper drainage. - Fuel quantity indicator testing revealed that the right tank gauge provided satisfactory readings at all fill levels (1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full), while the left tank gauge indicated substantially lower quantities than actual. ## Engine Test Results An engine test produced the following results: - At maximum power, the tachometer fluctuated between 2,500 rpm (maximum) and 2,300 rpm. - Upon releasing the throttle, the engine rpm fluctuated due to the missing friction nut, oscillating between 500 and 700 rpm. After adjusting the throttle friction, rpm variation ceased, though the indicator continued to fluctuate by 300 rpm. A digital auxiliary device confirmed the cabin indicator was faulty. - Cylinder differential pressure tests showed compression and sealing within normal limits. - The mixture control's operation could not be precisely verified due to continuous rpm oscillations, though tests suggested that gradually leaning the mixture did not increase rpm as expected (a 20–40 rpm increase was anticipated). - During the magneto test, the engine clearly dropped rpm when one magneto was disconnected, but the exact drop could not be determined due to indicator oscillations. The engine did not fail during the test. - The ignition key fell to the floor during the test because it could be removed in any position, even with the engine running. To replicate the incident conditions, the left wing fuel lines were disabled before the selector valve, and the right wing fuel line to the carburetor was disconnected, confirming that fuel flowed by gravity and that the right wing fuel system installation and lines were correct.