What happened
On 28 October 2023, a Piper PA28-1ob Cherokee, registration ZS-MKY, was conducting a private cross-country flight for pilot hour-building when it was forced to land in an open field near Bela-Bela, Limpopo. The flight, operated on a hire-and-fly basis, departed from Wonderboom Airport with the pilot and two passengers on board. The intended route included several airfields, including Rustenburg and Pilanesberg, with a planned touch-and-go landing at Bela-Bela Airfield.
During a descent from 7,500 feet to 5,700 feet, the pilot reduced engine power to 1,500 RPM. While attempting to maintain the new altitude, the pilot noticed the engine was not responding to power increases. In an attempt to troubleshoot, the pilot applied carburetor heat and switched fuel tanks, but the engine power remained at 1,500 RPM. Realizing the aircraft could not reach the intended airfield, the pilot identified an open field for a forced landing.
Upon touchdown, the pilot applied the brakes to decelerate. However, the aircraft veered to the left, striking a pivoted irrigation machine with its right wing. The impact caused the nose landing gear to fail and the propeller to strike the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft's wing tip, engine cowling, and propeller.