What happened
On 1 February 2026, a flight instructor and a student pilot were conducting a routine circuit training flight from Lanseria International Airport (FALA) in Gauteng. The flight was being operated under Part 141 training provisions. While flying the right downwind leg for Runway 07, the aircraft, a Piper PA-28-181 Archer II registered ZS-SDR, was instructed by air traffic control to extend its downwind leg.
As the aircraft transitioned to the final approach, approximately 5 nautical miles southwest of the runway threshold, the engine began running rough and suffered a partial loss of power. The flight instructor took control of the aircraft and attempted various troubleshooting steps to restore engine performance. When these efforts failed, the instructor opted to perform a forced landing in a field located roughly 3.4 nautical miles southwest of Runway 07. Despite the uphill gradient of the landing site, the aircraft landed safely without damage, and both occupants escaped without injury.
The investigation
Following the incident, investigators visited the landing site to examine the aircraft's condition. The inspection of the Piper PA-28-181 Archer II revealed no signs of fuel leaks, and the engine, propeller, and cockpit were found to be in good condition. The engine was able to start and run normally during the inspection, with no issues found regarding the magnetos, sparkplug leads, or induction pipes. The propeller rotated freely with proper compression in all cylinders.
Fuel levels were checked, and both tanks contained sufficient fuel (approximately 17 US gallons each). Samples taken from the underwing drains and the gascolator were clear, contained no water, and were of the correct fuel type. Additionally, an aircraft maintenance engineer confirmed that the throttle and mixture controls operated through their full range and that the engine met all parameters according to the maintenance manual when tested.