What happened
On April 8, 2002, at approximately 15:30, a Robin DR 400-140 B, registered F-GIKB, was engaged in a local flight departing from La Rochelle. After completing a short flight to Rochefort and returning toward La Rochelle, the aircraft was cruising at approximately 2,800 feet over the water, roughly 1.5 nautical miles from the coast. During this phase of flight, the pilot established radio contact with La Rochelle tower and subsequently noticed the low fuel pressure warning light illuminate.
Following advice from the air traffic controller, the pilot attempted to activate the electric fuel pump, but this action failed to resolve the issue. The pilot then switched to the auxiliary tank; however, the engine subsequently stopped. The pilot was able to perform a forced landing in a field at Pointe de Chay, near Angoulins, without causing damage to the aircraft or injuries to the four persons on board.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the fuel state and the accuracy of the cockpit instrumentation. Post-incident inspections revealed that both the main and auxiliary fuel tanks were empty. Investigators found that the fuel gauge probe in the main tank was deformed, which caused the cockpit indicator to incorrectly show the tank as being half full.
Records indicated that the aircraft had flown for two hours and forty minutes since its last full refueling. While the club's documented average fuel consumption for this aircraft is 32 l/h, the pilot believed the consumption rate was only 25 l/h. Furthermore, the pilot was aware prior to departure that the auxiliary tank contained no fuel.