What happened
On 3 October 2021, a Grumman American AA-5 Traveler, registration ZS-SWX, was conducting a private flight from Eagles Creek Airport in Gauteng province. The flight, operated under Part 91 regulations, was intended to be a local trip returning to the same departure point.
Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, while cruising at 6,000 feet near Buffelspo andspoort Dam, the engine cowling detached from the nose section of the aircraft and fell to the ground. The pilot was able to maintain control of the aircraft and returned to Eagles Creek Airport, where a safe landing was achieved. The two occupants on board sustained 0 injuries, and the aircraft suffered minor damage. Following the incident, the missing cowling was located on the ground near the dam.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the pilot's pre-flight actions. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft's maintenance records were current and that all mandatory inspections and airworthiness directives had been complied with.
Upon inspecting the aircraft after landing, investigators found that the cowling latch brackets on the lower cowling were bent, suggesting that the latches were engaged at the time of separation. While a portion of the hinge bracket had sheared, the screws holding it to the firewall remained intact. The investigation also noted that the port side bottom latch clip was found in a bent condition, though it was unclear if this damage occurred during the flight or prior to takeoff.
Findings
- The investigation determined that the starboard side engine cowl latches were not properly secured.
- It is likely that the port side latches had weakened or lost integrity over time, allowing airflow to gradually loosen the cowling during flight.
- The pilot may have overlooked the security of the port side latches during the pre-flight inspection, as these components are less visible from the starboard side during a standard walk-around.
- The separation was initiated by the failure of the latches, which eventually allowed the airflow to pull the cover away from the starboard side.