What happened
On 27 September 2023, a Cessna 182-F, registration ZS-CXX, departed Mossel Bay Aerodrome (FAMO) for a scheduled skydive operation. The flight, conducted under visual flight rules, carried a pilot and four passengers. After reaching flight level 105 and dropping the skydivers over the aerodrome, the aircraft transitioned toward the Dana Bay area.
While descending at 7,000 feet, the engine began to sputter before failing completely. The pilot declared an emergency via radio and attempted a forced landing. The aircraft ultimately came down on a private holding area approximately 980 meters northeast of the Mossel Bay runway threshold. During the landing roll, the aircraft struck a perimeter fence, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing strut, leading edge, and propeller blades. No injuries were reported.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft's fuel state and maintenance history. The investigation established that the aircraft had not been refueled prior to the flight, as the pilot relied on fuel remaining from a previous flight. Technical inspections of the aircraft following the accident revealed that both wing tanks were empty.
Investigators also reviewed the aircraft's configuration, noting it had been modified for para-drop operations with passenger seats and doors removed. While the weather conditions indicated a high risk of carburetor icing due to 70% humidity, investigators determined that icing was not the cause of the engine failure.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine stoppage was fuel exhaustion.
- The pilot failed to provide the required 30-minute fuel reserve as mandated by South African Civil Aviation Technical Standards for daytime VFR flights.
- Inadequate flight planning contributed to the incident, as the pilot did not uplift sufficient fuel for the mission.
- The pilot did not utilize the full available gliding range; despite having a potential glide distance of 12 nautical miles, the aircraft was only 2.7 nautical miles from the aerodrome when the engine failed.