What happened
On June 13, 1997, a Beechcraft 95A Travel Air, registration G-ATRC, departed White Waltham, UK, for a VFR flight to Le Mans Arnage, France. The flight was carrying the pilot and three passengers, traveling to attend the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
During the flight, the pilot experienced a significant discrepancy between planned and actual fuel consumption. While the flight plan estimated a duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes, the actual flight time lasted 1 hour and 55 minutes. As the aircraft approached Le Mans, the pilot reported a suspected fuel leak and eventually notified air traffic control that the engines were failing due to fuel exhaustion. After declaring an emergency, the pilot attempted an emergency landing in a field near Yvré-l’Evêque. The impact of the aircraft resulted in the destruction of the aircraft, though the three passengers escaped with injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the fuel management and flight preparation of the crew. Investigators examined the aircraft's fuel levels, noting that the pilot had estimated 35 USG of fuel remaining at departure but had not topped off the tanks. The investigation also reviewed radar tracks from various UK stations, which confirmed a ground speed of approximately 125 kt, indicating the aircraft was flying at an economical cruise setting rather than the 150 kt speed stated in the flight plan.
Analysis of the fuel consumption revealed that while the pilot's initial estimate of 35 USG was roughly accurate, the actual usable fuel was lower once unusable fuel and taxi consumption were accounted for. Furthermore, the presence of a 25-knot headwind significantly increased the flight duration beyond the pilot's initial calculations.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was insufficient flight preparation and management.
- The pilot failed to properly account for the impact of headwinds on fuel endurance and flight duration.
- A lack of mid-flight navigation updates, such as recalculating fuel reserves when switching tanks, prevented the pilot from identifying the fuel shortage earlier.
- The decision to attempt an emergency landing in a field was made too late, which increased the severity of the impact.