What happened
On June 6, 2010, a private PIPER PA-38-112, registration EC-KYX, was conducting a recreational flight from Almería to San Javier. Earlier in the day, the pilot had performed an unscheduled landing at the Totana ultralight airfield after observing a drop in engine RPMs during the initial flight leg. After the aircraft remained stationary for approximately three hours, the pilot attempted a new takeoff from runway 21.
During the takeoff roll, the aircraft encountered southeast winds with gusts up and to 25 knots. Immediately following rotation, the engine failed. The aircraft struck the ground with its main landing gear and veered to the right side of the runway before returning to the centerline. The aircraft continued along the runway axis, bouncing off the ground several times, and eventually struck the terrain at the end of the runway. The impact caused the right main wheel to detach and the nose gear to deform, which punctured the engine sump and resulted in a total loss of oil. The occupants of the aircraft, two persons, were uninjured and able to exit the aircraft on their own.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the engine failure and the impact dynamics. Investigators examined the fuel system and found that while the left tank contained approximately 27 liters, the right tank contained 14 liters. Crucially, the investigation revealed that fuel from the right tank was not reaching the selector valve. A microscopic inspection of the fuel line connecting the right tank to the selector valve uncovered a 5 mm piece of plastic that was partially obstructing the line.
Furthermore, the investigation noted that the fuel pump was disconnected at the time of inspection, though it was unclear if it had been left disconnected during the takeoff. The investigation also analyzed the wind conditions, noting that the crosswind component likely exceeded the aircraft's demonstrated limits during the takeoff roll.
Findings
- The engine failure was caused by an interruption in fuel supply to the engine.
- A small plastic particle was found partially obstructing the fuel line from the right tank to the selector valve.
- The takeoff was performed with a crosswind component that likely exceeded the maximum demonstrated limit for the PIPER PA-38-112.
- The lateral movement of fuel within the tank, caused by the crosswind, likely exacerbated the fuel starvation, especially if the fuel pump was not in operation as required by the flight manual.
- The aircraft's flight path involved multiple ground impacts and a significant excursion from the runway centerline.