What happened
On 16 July 2022, a Rainbow Aircraft Cheetah, registered ZU-ECG, departed Wings Park Aerodrome in the Eastern Cape for a planned flight to Wavecrest Aerodrome. The flight was being conducted under visual flight rules as a private operation. Shortly after the aircraft departed from Runway 09, the pilot noticed a gradual decline in engine revolutions per minute (RPM).
Despite the pilot's attempts to restore power by switching fuel tanks and verifying the operation of the auxiliary fuel pump, the engine continued to lose power. Faced with a continuous loss of altitude, the pilot attempted an emergency landing at the junction of Runway 04. The aircraft touched down mid-runway but was unable to stop within the runway limits, overrunning the pavement and coming to rest at the stopway. The impact caused substantial damage to the propeller and the nose landing gear. Both the pilot and the passenger escaped the incident without any injuries.
The investigation
An investigation by the SACAA AIID focused on the mechanical state of the aircraft and the sequence of the engine failure. Investigators examined the engine's performance and the fuel delivery system. The inquiry confirmed that the engine power loss was directly linked to a failure in the fuel pressure boosting mechanism. Following the accident, the auxiliary fuel pump was replaced, after which the engine returned to normal operation.
Findings
- The engine RPM dropped during the initial climb, leading to a loss of engine power.
- The primary cause of the power loss was a defective auxiliary fuel pump responsible for boosting fuel pressure during the takeoff phase.
- A contributing factor was the failure to replace the auxiliary fuel pump after five years of service, as required by the aircraft's flight manual.