Piper PA-28-180 Forced Landing Near Springs Aerodrome (ZS-ISI)

Accident Overview and Flight History On 11 December 2024, a Piper PA-28-180 with registration ZS-ISI was involved in an accident near Springs Aerodrome (FASI) in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The aircraft was operated by Mach 1 Aviation Academy (PTY) LTD for a private Part 91 hour-building flight. The pilot, a 21-year-old private pilot, took off from Springs Aerodrome at approximately 1015Z with the intention of flying to Heidelberg Aerodrome (FAHG) before returning to FASI. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the flight. The pilot reported completing a pre-flight inspection with no anomalies found. This was the aircraft's sixth flight of the day. After take-off on Runway 03, the pilot climbed to 5,800 feet AMSL and turned left toward FAHG. During the turn, the engine lost power and stopped. With insufficient height to return to the runway, the pilot identified a nearby field for a forced landing. The aircraft landed on uneven terrain, bounced, and the nose landing gear bent backward before the aircraft came to a stop. The accident occurred at 1020Z at GPS coordinates 26°14'34.0 South, 028°23'50.8 East. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. A post-accident engine test found no anomalies. The investigation noted that the pilot completed a non-standard action by switching fuel tanks during climb-out. The probable cause was an unsuccessful forced landing following an in-flight engine stoppage, with the cause of the stoppage not determined with certainty.