History
On 26 August 2003, at 1434 UTC, a privately operated Jabiru UL-450 (registration G-LEEE) conducted a forced landing at Lockerley Farm, Romsey, Hampshire, following an engine failure. The flight had departed from Herring's Farm with an anticipated duration of 65 minutes to Old Sarum near Salisbury, Wiltshire. The pilot visually checked the fuel contents using an engraved rule through the fibreglass tank, obtaining a reading of 20 litres, which concurred with the on-board fuel computer's indication of over 20 litres, providing an estimated endurance of two hours.
Approximately 50 minutes after takeoff, while at an altitude of 1,900 feet, the engine began to lose power. The pilot switched the fuel pump on and applied carburettor heat. The engine momentarily recovered but then failed, prompting the pilot to perform a forced landing in a field. The aircraft touched down with full flap in a tail-down attitude and with the propeller horizontal. As the nose wheel lowered onto the hard surface, a cracking sound was heard, and the pitch attitude continued to decrease. Upon vacating the aircraft, the pilot observed that the nose landing gear had detached.
Aircraft and Fuel System
The Jabiru UL-450 is a high-wing, single-engine, two-seat kitplane operated in the microlight category under a Permit to Fly. It has a single fibreglass fuel tank located behind the seats. Most aircraft of this type have a visual sight gauge bonded to the front of the tank, allowing fuel contents to be viewed in-flight and on the ground. However, the sight gauge on this aircraft was not permanently fitted, so in-flight fuel quantity checks were not possible. An optional on-board computer measures instantaneous fuel flow and displays fuel flow, fuel used, and, after manual input of initial fuel contents, calculates fuel remaining.
Fuel Contents
The last fuel uplift had been 45 litres, after which the pilot visually checked the fuel contents with the sight gauge and recorded a total of 60 litres. The tank capacity is 65 litres, but it is not advisable to completely fill the tank due to potential fuel siphoning through the overflow vent. The unusable fuel amounts to 2 litres. The pilot set a total fuel contents value of 60 litres on the on-board computer and used this indication for flight planning, giving an endurance of 6 hours at a consumption rate of 10 litres per hour. The aircraft had logged approximately 5 hours since refuelling.
Post-Landing Examination
Following the forced landing, the pilot observed that there was no evidence of fuel in the tank, although some fuel was present when the fuel drain was operated. The on-board computer indicated 12.3 litres of fuel remaining. The aircraft sustained damage to the nose landing gear and engine firewall.