What happened
During a cross-country flight traveling from Canada to California, the pilot stopped at a United States airfield to refuel and complete customs procedures. After departing the airfield to resume the journey, the aircraft suffered a complete loss of engine power during the initial climb phase. In an attempt to manage the emergency, the pilot executed an off-airport forced landing. During the descent, the right wing of the aircraft impacted railroad tracks located at the crest of a hill. The momentum of the impact sent the plane down an embankment, where it eventually stopped near the base of a railroad bridge.
Findings
Investigations into the incident revealed that the engine failure was caused by incorrect fuel type being loaded into the tanks. While at the fixed-base operator, the pilot requested fuel but failed to specify the required grade. The refueling personnel incorrectly identified the aircraft as needing Jet A fuel, despite the presence of placards on the filler ports explicitly stating that only AVGAS should be used.
Several factors contributed to this error:
- The refueling nozzle used on the truck was an improper design that allowed for the accidental loading of Jet A into an AvGas-only system.
- The pilot signed a fueling receipt that explicitly noted the use of Jet A, yet the error went unnoticed.
- It remains unconfirmed if the pilot performed a visual inspection or fuel sampling prior to takeoff, though such a procedure would have identified the contamination.