What happened
On Thursday, April 22, 1999, a Jodel D 119, registration F-PMXF, was conducting a local flight departing from the Grenoble Le Versoud aerodrome. Approximately 55 minutes into the flight, while returning toward the airfield, the pilot noted engine misfires. Shortly thereafter, the engine ceased operation. Despite attempts to execute emergency restart procedures, the engine failed to restart, forcing the pilot to perform an emergency landing in an open field near Le Cheylas.
During the landing roll on soft ground, the aircraft transitioned from a nose-high attitude to a vertical position before flipping onto its back. The two occupants of the aircraft were able to exit the wreckage without injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's fuel system following the engine failure. Upon inspection, the fuel selector was found set to the "rear tank" position. The pilot stated that they had not manually moved the selector during the flight. Prior to departure, the pilot had replenished the front tank, while the fuel gauge indicated that the rear tank contained approximately one-third of its capacity. Post-accident analysis revealed that the rear tank was completely empty.
Findings
- The engine failure was caused by inappropriate fuel management.
- While the front tank had been refueled, the fuel selector remained set to the rear tank, which had been depleted.
- The aircraft sustained damage to the canopy, the upper fuselage skin, and the rudder during the rollover.