Date:	14-MAY-2010
Time:	18:30 UTC
Type:	Boeing 737-8AS (WL)
Owner/operator:	Ryanair
Registration:	EI-DYX
MSN:	37517/2754
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 176
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Incident
Location:	near Valencia Airport (LEVC) -   Spain
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	EGGS
Destination airport:	LEVC
Investigating agency:	CIAIAC
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
On 14 May 2010, Ryanair flight RY9ZC was scheduled from Stansted Airport (EGGS) to Alicante Airport (LEAL). During the approach phase the aircraft perform two go-around, due to meteorological conditions (windshear). The crew finally decided to divert to Valencia airport (LEVC), where they issued an urgency declaration (PAN-PAN) due to low fuel level. On final approach, the crew stated an emergency (MAYDAY) and landed successfully at runway 12.

Causes:
The incident was caused by the crew’s inadequate decision-making process in opting to make a second approach, in the choice of alternate airport and in the flight parameters used en route to that airport, which resulted in the fuel amount dropping below the required minimum reserve fuel and in the crew declaring an emergency (MAYDAY).
The company’s fuel savings policy, though it complies with the minimum legal requirements, tends to minimize the amount of fuel with which its airplanes operate and leaves none for contingencies below the legal minimums. This contributed to the
amount of fuel used being improperly planned and to the amount of fuel onboard dropping below the required final fuel reserve.
Another contributing factor was the wind information provided by ATC to the crew when preparing the approach to runway 28. This information, though accurate, did not give the crew a clear picture of the changing wind conditions, which would have facilitated their making more suitable decisions.

https://www.fomento.gob.es/recursos_mfom/2010_010_in_final_eng_0.pdf
https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2013-07-15/spain-reports-ryanair-fuel-incident#
https://news.aviation-safety.net/2013/06/28/spain-concludes-investigation-of-low-fuel-incidents/

Safety recommendation REC 18/13 issued by CIAIAC to AENA
Safety recommendation REC 19/13 issued by CIAIAC to Ryanair
Safety recommendation REC 20/13 issued by CIAIAC to Ryanair
Safety recommendation REC 21/13 issued by CIAIAC to Ryanair
Safety recommendation REC 22/13 issued by CIAIAC to ICAO
Safety recommendation REC 23/13 issued by CIAIAC to ICAO

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
27-Aug-2018 11:14	Edoardo	Added
27-Aug-2018 11:17	harro	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source]
27-Aug-2018 17:52	Edoardo Pusterla	Updated [Location, Narrative]
27-Aug-2018 17:55	harro	Updated [Location, Nature, Narrative, Accident report, ]