A ditching accident off Leighton Beach, Western Australia highlights the importance of proper fuel management, an Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation final report notes.
On 20 April 2023, a Piper Archer single-engine light aircraft departed Carnarvon for a private flight to Jandakot, via Geraldton.
About 10 km north of Fremantle, engine power subsided then recovered a number of times.
“Unable to maintain height, the pilot decided to turn into wind for a forced landing on the adjacent Leighton Beach, but then opted to ditch into the ocean after observing a number of people on the beach,” ATSB Director Transport Safety Stuart Macleod said.
After a successful ditching, the uninjured pilot and passenger were able to egress and swim to shore. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
The ATSB’s investigation concluded the pilot had left Carnarvon with enough fuel on board for the planned flight, but did not carry out regular fuel quantity checks in accordance with regulatory guidance, or keep a written log of fuel consumed from each tank during the flight.
“The engine power issues probably occurred due to a lack of fuel in the selected right tank,” Mr Macleod said.
“The pilot responded to power anomalies by carrying out some of the emergency procedures, but did not select the other – left – tank, which contained usable fuel.”
Mr Macleod said that the accident highlighted the importance of good fuel management.
“Pilots must carry out in-flight fuel quantity checks at regular intervals, including a cross check and recording of key data,” he said.
“For aircraft with separate tank selections, it is advisable to monitor the fuel consumed, and fuel remaining, for each tank.”
Further, Mr Macleod noted the accident was a reminder that an intermittent or partial engine power loss is an ambiguous condition that can disrupt pilot implementation of emergency procedures.
“Unless there is an obvious solution, pilots should prepare for a complete engine power loss and follow the applicable procedures to optimise recovery of engine power,” he concluded.
Read the report: Fuel starvation and ditching involving Piper PA-28, VH-FEY, 15 km north-west of Jandakot Airport, Western Australia on 20 April 2023