What happened
On June 6, 2004, at approximately 17:00, a Socata MS 893 E Rallye Commodore, registration F-BUVL, was conducting sightseeing flights during an aerial event at the Lyon Brindas aerodrome. While on final approach to runway 01, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. Determining that the aircraft lacked sufficient altitude to reach the runway, the pilot attempted an emergency landing in a nearby field. During the flare, the aircraft stalled and struck the ground with significant force, causing the landing gear to collapse and the aircraft to come to rest on its belly. There were four persons on board; the aircraft sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the fuel state of the aircraft and the operational procedures used during the event. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right fuel tank was empty, while the left tank still contained fuel. Although wing deformation prevented an exact measurement of the remaining fuel in the left tank, no smell of fuel was detected near the wreckage.
Earlier that morning, a club member had fully refueled the tanks. Following engine tests, a first pilot completed seven short flights, alternating between the left and right tanks. A second pilot then performed four additional flights. This pilot reported that they did not manually operate the fuel selector or visually verify fuel levels, relying instead on a summary log for the event. This pilot estimated the remaining flight endurance to be approximately 90 minutes.
Findings
- The engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion in the right tank.
- There was a lack of coordination between the two pilots regarding the remaining fuel distribution in the tanks.
- Pre-flight fuel quantity checks were incomplete, as the pilot did not visually inspect the tanks.
- The aircraft logbook did not record the amount of fuel added during the morning refueling.
- Operational instructions provided for the aerial event lacked specific recommendations for fuel management.