Propulsion or fuel system malfunction
What this relates to:
The engine/fuel system of an aircraft develops a fault, which can include a partial or complete loss of power.
Typical causes include technical defects in the propulsion systems (engine, propeller, gearbox and associated systems) or in the fuel system, user errors, maintenance errors, damage on the ground, birdstrike, unfavourable weather conditions, lack of fuel or contaminated fuel.
Example:
Shortly after take-off, a single-engine aircraft with a piston engine begins to sputter and loses power. The pilot returns to the airport.
Remarks on the 2024 figures:
In 2024, the number of reported incidents related to propulsion and fuel systems was roughly on a par with other non-COVID years and slightly higher than the previous year, following the recovery in traffic. As in the year before, the majority of engine-related incidents related to piston-engine aircraft. The investigation of possible causes for these incidents by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in cooperation with other national authorities in Europe and the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) is ongoing. There was an accident in commercial aviation due to problems with a turbine engine which led to smoke in the aircraft and an emergency landing. This was also the main driver for a small increase in the average severity level.
As in other categories, reported incidents decreased significantly as a result of the decline in traffic during the COVID pandemic and increased again during the post-COVID recovery in traffic.
