What happened
Following a 100-hour maintenance inspection and various engineering tasks at Bournemouth Airport, an aircraft was conducting a shakedown flight. During the flight, the pilot noted that the right fuel tank indicator had dropped to zero. While the pilot initially believed the remaining fuel in the left tank was sufficient, the engine began to experience fluctuations in fuel flow and RPM during the descent toward an ILS approach for Runway 08.
As the aircraft approached the final stages of its descent, the engine failed again despite attempts to switch between fuel tanks. The pilot diverted from the localizer and searched for a suitable location for an emergency landing. An open field with an upward slope was chosen, and the pilot deployed full flaps and the landing gear. The aircraft touched down in the field, but the momentum caused it to strike a hedge at the edge of the property. The impact caused significant damage to the left wing, but there was no fire following the incident.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating without a technical log, which prevented the pilot from verifying the exact amount of fuel on board or the time elapsed since the last refueling.
- A significant fuel imbalance existed, with the left tank containing 22 gallons US and the right tank containing 40 gallons US, exceeding the maximum allowable lateral imbalance of 10 gallons US specified in the manual.
- The lack of available fuel information due to the missing technical log was a critical factor in the pilot's inability to accurately assess the remaining endurance.