| Occurrence Briefs are concise reports that detail the facts surrounding a transport safety occurrence, as received in the initial notification and any follow-up enquiries. They provide an opportunity to share safety messages in the absence of an investigation. |
What happened
On 9 July 2020, the student pilot of a Diamond DA40 was preparing the aircraft for a local solo flight from Parafield Airport, South Australia. As this was the student’s first solo navigational flight, the instructor assisted the student with the pre-flight inspection.
The instructor signalled for the fuel truck to come and refuel the aircraft. As the fuel truck was busy refuelling another aircraft at the time, the instructor left the student to complete the pre-flight inspection and refuel the aircraft.
After completing the pre-flight inspection, the student left the aircraft unattended to go to the office to collect their flight bag and gear and returned shortly after, with the assumption that the aircraft had been refuelled. The student did not check the fuel tanks or conduct a fuel drain, and departed Parafield for the navigational flight.
During cruise at 4,500 ft, approximately 18 NM from Parafield, the student received a low fuel warning. Approximately 30 minutes later, a second low fuel warning sounded and it was at this point in time that the student conducted a return to Parafield for an uneventful landing.
The post-flight inspection revealed that the aircraft landed outside the prescribed fuel reserves.
Operator investigation findings
Following the incident, the operator conducted an internal investigation and provided the ATSB with the following:
- The student believed that the fuel tanks were full from the outset, influencing their judgement throughout the process.
- When the student was alerted to a low fuel warning in the current tank, they correctly and immediately selected the other tank, but did not calculate the total on-board fuel. The decision was further influenced by the student’s belief that the fuel content indicator was not always accurate. This was remnant of a previous aircraft the student flew and not the DA40.
- When the student was alerted by a low fuel warning on the second tank, they elected to discontinue the flight, but not to use the alternate airport. This resulted in a return to Parafield with the fuel contents remaining below that of the fixed reserve.
Safety message
This incident highlights the importance of ensuring that all pre-flight inspections and checklists are carried out systematically. Fuel quantity and quality should always be checked before each flight and after refuelling to ensure there is a correct amount of fuel on board the aircraft to conduct the flight.
It also reiterates the importance of being familiar and proficient with aircraft system, including the risks and controls associated with fuel management.
About this report
Decisions regarding whether to conduct an investigation, and the scope of an investigation, are based on many factors, including the level of safety benefit likely to be obtained from an investigation. For this occurrence, no investigation has been conducted and the ATSB did not verify the accuracy of the information. A brief description has been written using information supplied in the notification and any follow-up information in order to produce a short summary report, and allow for greater industry awareness of potential safety issues and possible safety actions.