What happened
On 13 December 2005, a Cessna T188, registration ZS-LHS, was conducting agricultural operations near Middelburg. While the pilot was completing a crop-spraying mission over a potato field at Farm Koopermyn, the aircraft's engine failed. In an effort to manage the emergency, the pilot emptied the hopper before performing a forced landing in a nearby grass field. The pilot escaped the incident without injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the engine failure and the aircraft's maintenance history. The aircraft had undergone its last mandatory periodic inspection (MPI) on 11 November 2005, at 7,069.9 airframe hours, and had flown only 12.3 hours since that inspection. The operator held a valid Air Operating Certificate under Part 135 regulations, and a recent audit by the CAA Flight Operation Department in March 2005 had revealed no significant issues.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained damage to the right-hand wing tip and the right-hand main landing gear during the landing.
- The engine failure was the primary factor necessitating the forced landing.
- The pilot successfully executed the emergency procedure by dumping the hopper contents prior to touchdown.