Pilots warned of water-in-fuel danger after fatal plane crash

Pilots are being given updated safety advice about the dangers of water contamination in fuel systems after a fatal plane crash near Fife Aiport.

Pilot Nicholas Denison-Pender, 50, from Perthshire, died when his plane crashed near Kinglassie on 23 December 2024.

The UK's Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) report on the incident said there was "significant water contamination" present in the four-seat single-engine plane's fuel system.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has also reviewed its safety guidance and run maintenance roadshows to advise pilots on pre-flight fuel sampling techniques.

A colleague of Denison-Pender previously paid tribute to his "inspiring balance of passion, kindness, and intelligence".

On the day of the crash, CCTV in Kinglassie, a mile south-west of the scene, recorded the sound of an engine misfiring, followed by images of the plane crash.

A witness at the airport reported hearing a brief mayday call from the pilot.

The AAIB report said significant water contamination was present throughout the aircraft's fuel system.

Inspections of the wreckage showed the right-hand wing filler cap grommet was cracked and "could have allowed rain to enter the fuel system" of the Rockwell Commander 112, which was kept outside at Fire Airport, near Glenrothes.

A review of the aircraft logbooks showed that five different maintenance organisations had performed annual inspections on the aircraft in a 12-year period before the accident.

The report stated the pre-flight inspection on the day of the crash was "not effective in removing all the water present in the aircraft's fuel system", but it said it could not be determined from CCTV footage "what actions were performed on the pre-flight inspection".

It noted that the aircraft's maintenance manual did not contain a recommended service life or inspection criteria for the "acceptable condition" of wing fuel tank filler seals.

The AAIB made one safety recommendation following the investigation - that the Commander Aircraft Corporation change its aircraft maintenance manuals on inspection criteria for tank rubber grommet seals.

But it also noted that the CAA had reviewed its safety leaflet on fuel handling and storage following the incident and had run a series of aircraft maintenance and continuing airworthiness roadshows, covering issues such as fuel caps and seals.