History of Flight
On Saturday, 5 April 2025, at approximately 0908Z, a Jabiru J430 aircraft, registration ZU-JHF, departed from Heuningberg Farm private airfield in the Western Cape province for a private flight to Morningstar Aerodrome, also in the Western Cape. The flight was conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) by day and in accordance with Part 94 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011.
The aircraft climbed to 3000 feet above ground level (AGL). About 14 minutes into the flight, while abeam south of Riebeek-Kasteel Town, the engine began running rough and subsequently stopped. The pilot identified a ploughed field suitable for a forced landing. Initiating a glide at 65 knots with full flaps, the aircraft touched down on the field and was brought to a stop. Post-landing, the pilot reported that approximately 90 litres of fuel remained in the tank.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft sustained minor damage to the undercarriage during the landing roll on the ploughed field. There were no injuries to the pilot, passenger, or persons on the ground. No fatalities occurred.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the engine revealed a hardware failure of the components of the Number 6 cylinder, including the piston, connecting rod (conrod), and inlet valve. The failure was attributed to overheating associated with the exceedance of exhaust gas temperature (EGT) limits. No other contributing factors or system failures were identified.
The aircraft was recovered to an aircraft maintenance organisation (AMO) for further investigation. The incident was classified as a Category 2 serious incident under the CAR 2011 Part 12 and ICAO Annex 13 definitions.
Conclusion
The investigation concluded that the engine failure resulted from a hardware failure of the Number 6 cylinder components due to overheating from EGT exceedance. The pilot executed a successful forced landing, resulting in only minor damage to the aircraft.