Incident Overview
On 3 September 2018 at 18:05 local time, a C-180 H aircraft (registration N8SQ) operated by Alpine Sky Service Inc. of Las Vegas, USA, experienced a loss of engine power while on a local flight. The pilot, a Swiss citizen born in 1969 holding a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL(A)), was conducting a standard left turn over Lac de Joux at approximately 4500 ft QNH. Following the power loss, the pilot executed the engine failure procedure, broadcast a distress call on the Geneva Information frequency, and performed a precautionary landing in an uphill field near Le Chenit in the Vallée de Joux.
Flight Details
The flight was a private operation under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), departing from and destined for La Côte airfield (LSGP). The pilot had accumulated 1400 total flight hours, with 300 hours on the C-180 type and 30 hours in the preceding 90 days. The aircraft sustained no damage, and both the pilot and the single passenger were uninjured. No other property damage was reported.
Findings
After landing, the pilot observed that the fuel level was very low. A successful engine restart was performed on the ground. The aircraft is a vintage tailwheel type with imprecise fuel gauges, making visual fuel estimation difficult. To address this, the owner had installed a fuel totalizer. However, during the last refueling by another pilot, the totalizer was programmed incorrectly: the fuel quantity was entered in gallons instead of litres, leading to a substantial underestimation of the fuel added.
Conclusion
The following day, after adding fuel and with surrounding roads and paths blocked by police, the aircraft was able to depart from the field without incident and return to its home aerodrome. The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) concluded that no further investigative measures were necessary and closed the inquiry with this summary report.