Incident Overview
On August 3, 2005, a Tecnam P92 Echo 2000RG, registration LY-BBB, was involved in an accident at Kauno S. Dariaus ir S. Girėno aerodrome in Lithuania. The aircraft was operated by a private pilot. The accident sequence involved an engine failure after takeoff due to fuel mismanagement, followed by a gear-up landing and subsequent ground incident.
Flight History
During preflight preparation, the pilot noticed more fuel in the right tank than the left. To equalize the levels, he closed the right fuel valve during engine warm-up. Before takeoff, he attempted to reopen what he believed was the correct valve but inadvertently left both valves closed. After takeoff, at approximately 30 meters altitude, as the landing gear was being retracted, the engine lost power and stopped. The pilot then observed that both fuel valves were closed and opened one, but he could not restart the engine in time. The aircraft landed with the landing gear retracted on the asphalt runway, heading 89 degrees.
Post-Landing Events
After the aircraft came to a stop, airport personnel and firefighters lifted the aircraft. The pilot extended the landing gear using the gear lever and restarted the engine, then attempted to taxi the aircraft off the runway. While crossing railway tracks that intersected a taxiway, the nose landing gear collapsed, causing the propeller to strike the taxiway surface.
Aircraft and Occupant Damage
The wooden propeller was broken, and the aircraft sustained minor damage including deformation of the lower fuselage around the wheel wells and exhaust pipe, deformation of the left fuselage side near the left strut fairing, and abrasions to the right and nose strut fairings. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured.
Aircraft Information
The Tecnam P92 Echo 2000RG is a two-seat, single-engine, high-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear and a steerable nose wheel. It was manufactured on July 8, 2004, and registered on October 18, 2004, serial number 45. The fuel system consists of two 45-liter tanks in the wing leading edges, two fuel valves attached to the cockpit frame, a T-connector, fuel filter, engine-driven diaphragm pump, and two carburetors. The fuel valves are closed when the handle is vertical and open when horizontal. There are no warning lights indicating valve position.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined the cause as pilot error in manipulating the fuel valves, resulting in the aircraft taking off with the fuel supply shut off and the engine stopping at low altitude.