ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 266622
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| Date: | Monday 14 September 2015 |
| Time: | 18:45 UTC |
| Type: |  Tarik (modified Zenith CH 701) |
| Owner/operator: | private |
| Registration: | I-B998 |
| MSN: | 2012/01 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Viseu Aerodrome (LPVZ) -
 Portugal
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Viseu Aerodrome (LPVZ) |
| Viseu Aerodrome (LPVZ) | |
| Investigating agency: | GPIAAF |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A fixed-wing ultralight aircraft registered I-B998 with a Portuguese pilot, took off at 18:37 hours from runway 18 at the Viseu aerodrome (LPVZ) for a local experience flight.
After performing a rwy 18 circuit, the pilot opted to attempt a landing on the opposite runway, runway 36.
According to the pilot's statements, after making several modifications and repairs on the aircraft, he intended to make a flight to check the aircraft's airspeed indicator by comparison with a portable GPS device, which was the main purpose for the flight.
Apparently with high altitude and airspeed, the pilot decided to discontinue the landing on runway 36 and proceed to a new low altitude aerodrome circuit, aiming to perform the final landing on the same runway 36.
At the end of the left base leg for the aforementioned runway 36, the aircraft's engine starts to fail, stopping soon after. The pilot immediately turned to the left to reach the runway threshold; however, the available altitude and the aircraft gliding characteristics did not allow him to reach the intended point. The pilot decided for an emergency landing in an area with small eucalyptus trees about 200m southwest of the runway 36 threshold.
The pilot made “blind” transmissions while performing the circuit manoeuvres, not declaring however the pan or emergency situation.
During the aircraft’s relatively controlled collision with rough soil, the aircraft was severely damaged in the engine, forward fuselage, landing gear and wings, with firewall and instrument panel breakup.
The pilot was seriously injured, rescued and transported to a local hospital.
Probable causes
From the aircraft condition assessment, the information collected from the owner and from the available data evidenced in the constituting systems condition, the investigation establishes as probable cause for the event the lack of fuel supply to the engine.
Contributing factors
The design, workmanship and maintenance actions of several aircraft systems have contributed to the possible lack of fuel supply to the engine, in particular the fuel system with poor tank ventilation, not allowing fuel to be fed to the engine by gravity, not taking advantage of the aircraft's high wing configuration.
The fuel supply was fully depending on the electric auxiliary pump operation that, probably was not commanded to operate and from an adequate tank venting system.
For the aircraft not to have reached the runway threshold and the associated consequences of performing an off-field landing, the aircraft poor design related to mass and balance may have contributed limiting its glide ratio.
The absence of any type of operating procedure (normal and emergency) and aircraft maintenance plan may have contributed to the sequence of events.
The lack of technical preparation to follow-up the international standards and norms by the pilot owner and amateur builder were on the basis of the decisions and technical solutions applied to the aircraft.
Gaps in the activity regulatory framework resulted in a lack of oversight, monitoring and technical advice, from the design phase to the operation of the aircraft by the licensing entity, Aero Club d'Italia, which may had contributed to the sequence of technical and operational decisions by the pilot owner and amateur builder.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
GPIAAF
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
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