Incident
On a private flight from Biscarrosse Airport, Landes, to Alicante, a twin-engine aircraft experienced a dual engine failure and crashed near Chinchilla, approximately 10 km southeast of Albacete-Los Llanos Air Force Base. The accident occurred at 1840 hours local time while the aircraft was descending for an approach to runway 09. All six occupants—one pilot and five passengers—were rescued, though the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Flight Details
The aircraft departed Biscarrosse at 1629 LT. At 1840 LT, while descending toward Alicante, the pilot contacted air traffic control and reported a low fuel situation. Controllers vectored the flight to Albacete-Los Llanos AFB. The pilot modified the route and began descending for an approach to runway 09. Four minutes later, at an altitude of 3,000 feet and a distance of 8 nautical miles, the pilot declared an emergency following an engine failure. Two minutes after that, the aircraft crashed near Chinchilla.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the probable cause was failure of both engines in flight due to fuel exhaustion. This situation was probably the consequence of an incorrect fuel consumption calculation prior to departure, combined with a possible over-consumption in flight.