What happened
On Friday, September 17, 1999, at approximately 13:00, a Europa ultralight aircraft, registration PH-EAF, was conducting a local flight near Bondues, France, for the purpose of aircraft testing and fine-tuning. During the flight, the pilot experienced a significant reduction in engine power. Unable to reach the nearby Lille Marcq-en-Barœul aerodrome, the pilot attempted an emergency landing in an open field. However, the pilot lost control of the aircraft during the final approach, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft and the death of the pilot.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage to determine the cause of the engine power loss. The examination of the Bombardier-Rotax 912 S engine revealed that while the engine was not producing power at the time of impact, there were no mechanical failures within the engine itself, and the ignition system was functioning correctly.
An inspection of the fuel system identified significant contamination at the bottom of both fuel tank pickup points. While the three-way fuel selector valve was found to be functioning correctly and set to the left tank, the fuel filter located before the electric pump—positioned in a well between the two seats—was found to be heavily clogged with green and black particles. Analysis of these particles indicated they were primarily shavings likely originating from the polyethylene tank wall, along with a smaller amount of magnetic metallic particles. The size and volume of these deposits within the fuel lines significantly restricted fuel flow.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine power loss was the clogging of the fuel filter due to accumulated debris.
- The debris consisted mainly of polyethylene shavings from the fuel tank walls and some metallic particles.
- The fuel line routing passed near hot engine components, which was not in compliance with the manufacturer's installation manual.
- The pilot was flying with a pilot license that had been expired since 1981, which may have contributed to degraded flight performance during the emergency.