The pilot on this occasion did not make what would have been an appropriate urgency or distress call when faced with a strong smell of fuel and the single engine indicating reduced performance.
The Commission has commented in previous reports on the need for pilots to declare the appropriate level of urgency using the standard phraseology for the situation.
The Commission recommends that the Director of Civil Aviation promote to all pilots and operators, through the best means available, the need to use the appropriate phraseology to declare a level of urgency or distress that reflects the true nature of an emergency.
