What happened
On May 4, 2000, a Robin DR 400-140 B, registration F-GEIN, was conducting a cross-country navigation flight starting from Couhé-Vérac. The flight itinerary included stops at Angoulême and Niort before returning to the departure point. After passing near Saint-Maixent-l'Ecole, the pilot decided to divert back to Angoulême while passing near Melles.
Approximately 6 nautical miles from Angoulême, the engine began to misfire. The pilot attempted to rectify the issue by activating the electric fuel pump and adjusting the throttle multiple times. However, at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet, the engine ceased operation. The pilot performed a 360-degree turn to select a suitable landing site in a field. The aircraft landed perpendicular to the furrows of a sown field, causing the aircraft to bounce on the main landing gear. After traveling roughly 30 meters, the nose gear struck a furrow, causing the aircraft to pivot 90 degrees from its original landing heading before coming to a stop. The aircraft sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the engine failure and the pilot's decision-making process. Investigators reviewed the pilot's pre-flight fuel estimation, noting that the pilot had estimated a flight endurance of approximately two hours based on a visual reading of the fuel gauge. The investigation also considered the engine's fuel consumption rates, which range from 25 liters per hour at 2400–2500 RPM to approximately 30 liters per hour at 2700–2800 RPM.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine failure was fuel exhaustion.
- The pilot made a decision to extend the flight duration without performing a proper calculation of the remaining fuel reserves.