Background
On 16 June 2017, a Piper PA-28-181, registered HB-PAT, operated by Société d'Aviation de la Gruyère SA, was involved in a serious incident during a private training flight. The pilot, a Canadian citizen born in 1961, held a valid EASA Private Pilot Licence (PPL(A)) issued by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA). The pilot had a total flight time of 152 hours and 9 minutes, all on type, with 7 hours and 50 minutes in the preceding 90 days.
Flight Details
The flight departed from Gruyère Airfield (LSGT) under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The pilot planned to conduct slow flight exercises and spirals in the Romont area, then fly over the shore of Lake Geneva via Vevey and Montreux before returning to Epagny for circuit work. During the flight, the engine was supplied with fuel from the right wing tank.
The aircraft landed twice on runway 35, each time followed by a takeoff. After the second landing, the pilot decided to perform one additional circuit.
Incident Description
During the subsequent takeoff, the aircraft lost power at low altitude. The pilot immediately turned left to avoid the village of Broc. He attempted to select the left fuel tank but the engine did not respond. The pilot executed an emergency landing in a wheat field. Upon examination after landing, the right wing fuel tank was found to be empty.
Aftermath
The pilot was uninjured. The aircraft was not damaged, but minor damage was caused to the wheat crop. The investigation was conducted as a summary investigation by the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) in accordance with Article 46 of the Ordinance on Safety Investigations into Transport Incidents. No probable cause was identified in the summary report.