The Partenavia P68 Victor aircraft, with one Pilot and three Task Specialists on board, took off from Waterford Airport, Ireland, and was operating a marine wildlife survey flight off the south-east coast of Ireland when the right engine stopped. The Pilot commenced a return to Waterford Airport and a few minutes later, the left engine lost power repeatedly. The Pilot carried out a forced landing on a beach close to Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford. The Pilot and all three Task Specialists exited the aircraft and summoned assistance. The Pilot and one Task Specialist sustained serious injuries. The two other Task Specialists sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. There was no fire.
The Investigation concluded that the probable cause of the accident was separate interruptions to the fuel supply of each engine, while operating at or below a quarter of the aircraft’s fuel tank capacity, which ultimately resulted in a forced landing. Contributory causes were:
- A lack of clarity in the Aircraft Flight Manual limitations section regarding operations at less than ¼ tank fuel.
- The configuration of the fuel selector panel was potentially misleading, and its operation was not intuitive.
Three Safety Recommendations are made as a result of this Investigation.
