What happened
On October 30, 2021, a Tecnam P2002-JF, registration LV-GKC, was conducting a general aviation flight training mission departing from Morón Aerodrome. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, while in the cruise phase, the engine began to run irregularly before eventually stopping. The crew attempted to restart the engine, but the failure persisted, necessitating an emergency landing in an unprepared field in a rural area of Marcos Paz, Buenos Aires. The aircraft sustained significant damage during the impact, specifically when the nose landing gear detached due to the uneven terrain, causing the propeller to strike the ground.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's fuel system and the crew's actions. Upon inspection, investigators found the right fuel tank was at maximum capacity, while the left tank was completely empty. The electrical fuel pump was found to be functioning normally, and laboratory analysis confirmed the fuel in the right tank was clean, uncontaminated AVGAS UL-91.
While the crew reported that the left tank initially contained approximately 25% fuel, the investigation noted that the aircraft's fuel system design does not allow fuel to flow between tanks. The crew stated they had operated the flight using the right tank selection for the duration of the flight. Furthermore, the investigation looked into the flight school's procedures, noting that while a practice existed to switch tanks every 30 minutes, this was not documented in the school's approved instruction manual.
Findings
- The engine failure was likely caused by a lack of fuel supply.
- The aircraft's fuel system design prevents fuel from flowing between the left and right tanks, requiring manual selection to balance levels.
- At the time of the accident, the left tank was empty while the right tank remained full.
- The flight school's manual lacked formal procedures for fuel tank switching and balancing.
Safety action
- The investigation highlighted the need for flight schools to include specific, time-stipulated procedures for fuel tank switching in their instruction manuals to ensure balanced consumption and prevent engine flameouts in aircraft with independent tank supplies.