What happened
On the evening of October 11, 2002, a Jodel D 112 aircraft, registration F-BMIF, was performing circuit training at the Arcachon airfield. The flight, involving an instructor and a student pilot, had been underway for approximately 35 minutes. During the eighth takeoff, while at an altitude of 50 and 500 feet, the instructor initiated a simulated engine failure procedure to train the student on emergency responses.
As the exercise concluded and the student attempted to apply power, the engine failed to deliver sufficient thrust. The instructor attempted an emergency landing at the nearby Becquet racecourse. During a 180-degree turn to align with the landing site, the aircraft's altitude became insufficient to reach the target area. The aircraft struck trees on the edge of the forest and crashed. The accident resulted in one fatality (the pilot) and one injury (the instructor), and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the engine's performance and the fuel system's integrity. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the 60-liter fuel tank remained intact upon impact, though approximately two liters of fuel were found inside. The propeller showed no signs of power delivery at the moment of impact, and the magneto switches were in the 'on' position.
While the engine itself showed no mechanical malfunctions, investigators noted that the carburetor heat control was pulled back but not locked. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's fuel logs, noting that some recent refuelings had not been recorded in the logbook. The instructor had estimated the remaining fuel to be approximately 15 liters based on a visual gauge check.
Findings
- The investigation identified two primary contributing factors to the engine failure: carburetor icing and a fuel starvation event.
- Due to the low fuel level and the aircraft's flight configuration during the maneuver, it is probable that the fuel supply was interrupted (unpriming of the fuel circuit).
- The meteorological conditions at the time presented a moderate to severe risk of carburetor icing, particularly during the descent and low-power phases of the simulated failure.
- It could not be definitively determined if the student had activated the carburetor heat prior to the reduction of power.