No fatalities

1999-11-29: PZL-Mielec AN-28 (ES-NOF) — Enimex — Szczecin, Poland

Szczecin, PolandFlight

On November 29, 1999, a PZL-Mielec AN-28 (registration ES-NOF) operated by Enimex was involved in an aviation accident near Szczecin, Poland in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: It is believed that when departing from Örebro Airport in Sweden, the pilots calculated the amount of fuel based on the total weight of the cargo. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781203932Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine cargo aircraft made an emergency landing in a field 30 km north of Szczecin, Poland, after both engines stopped due to fuel exhaustion. The three occupants evacuated uninjured.

Incident Overview

A twin-engine cargo aircraft departed Örebro Airport in Sweden on a cargo flight to Budapest, Hungary, with an intermediate stop scheduled in Szczecin, Poland. The flight carried one passenger and two pilots.

During the cruise phase of the flight, after passing over Rønne, Denmark, a warning light illuminated in the cockpit panel, indicating a low fuel situation. At that time, approximately 150 km remained to Szczecin Airport. The crew decided to continue the flight to the intended destination.

A few minutes later, while descending toward Szczecin, both engines stopped simultaneously. The crew attempted an emergency landing in an open field located 30 km north of Szczecin. The aircraft rolled for several dozen meters and came to rest in a ravine.

Occupants and Damage

All three occupants escaped uninjured. The aircraft sustained damage beyond repair.

Investigation Findings

The investigation determined that when departing Örebro Airport, the pilots calculated the fuel quantity based on the total weight of the cargo. Subsequently, they realized that the actual cargo weight was 600 kg lighter than initially stated on the load sheet. The crew recalculated the total weight but did not recalculate the fuel quantity. Additionally, confusion between liters and kilograms occurred during the calculation of both the cargo weight and the fuel amount.

Probable cause

It is believed that when departing from Örebro Airport in Sweden, the pilots calculated the amount of fuel based on the total weight of the cargo. Nevertheless, they later realized that the total weight of the cargo was 600 kilos lighter than initially mentioned on the load sheet. The crew then recalculated the total weight but failed to recalculate the amount of fuel. Also, it seems there was some confusion between liters and kilos when calculating the total weight of the cargo and the amount of fuel to put in the tanks.