Accident to the Sonaca S200 registered F-HGRA on 05/10/2024 at Espira-de-l'Agly
Engine failure in initial climb, forced landing, during an instruction flight
After taking off and cutting short the first exercise, the instructor reduced power with the throttle lever in order to simulate an engine failure. The student pilot carried out the expected actions. When the instructor increased power, the engine did not respond to the power control inputs. The instructor switched on the auxiliary pump and changed the fuel tank selection but these actions were ineffective.
The instructor focused on maintaining the glide speed until landing. He was surprised by the aeroplane’s lift-to-drag ratio and was unable to land in the planned obstacle-free area. During the landing, the aeroplane struck obstacles.
The investigation was unable to identify why the engine speed did not increase despite the presence of fuel and the engine continuing to rotate.