Piper PA-28-181 Archer II Forced Landing at Lanseria International Airport (ZS-SDR)

Incident Overview and Context On 1 February 2026, a Piper PA-28-181 Archer II, registration ZS-SDR, was conducting a circuit training flight from Lanseria International Airport (FALA) in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The aircraft was operated under Part 141 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011. The flight was crewed by a flight instructor and a student pilot, with the student acting as the pilot flying. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, with a METAR recorded at 0730Z indicating a temperature of 23°C, a dew point of 14°C, and CAVOK conditions. ## Sequence of Events After a normal take-off from Runway 07, the aircraft climbed to 1,000 feet AGL and proceeded to fly a circuit. While on the right downwind leg, air traffic control instructed the crew to extend the downwind leg. As the aircraft turned to finals, approximately 5 nautical miles south-west of the Runway 07 threshold, the engine ran rough and partially lost power. The flight instructor assumed control and attempted to restore power through troubleshooting, including adjusting the throttle and fuel mixture, but was unsuccessful. The instructor then executed a forced landing in a field approximately 3.4 nautical miles south-west of Runway 07. The landing was stable, and the aircraft came to a stop on an uphill gradient. Both occupants were unharmed, and the aircraft sustained no damage. ## Investigation and Findings A follow-up investigation conducted on 2 February 2026 found the aircraft intact with no fuel leaks. The engine, propeller, and cockpit area showed no anomalies, and the engine was confirmed to have not ceased to operate. Fuel samples from the tanks, underwing drain points, and gascolator were of the correct type, clear, and free of sediment or water. An aircraft maintenance engineer confirmed that the carburettor throttle and fuel mixture controls moved freely, and the engine met all parameters during a test run. ## Probable Cause and Contributing Factors The probable cause of the serious incident was the partial loss of engine power due to the formation of carburettor ice. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's failure to open the carburettor heat as part of the in-flight troubleshooting intervention, which likely prevented the restoration of full engine power. The weather conditions at the time, with a temperature of 23°C and a dew point of 14°C, created a moderate risk for carburettor icing at cruise power settings. ## Safety Recommendations The investigation recommended that the flight school operator provide training to its flight instructors on the early recognition of carburettor icing symptoms and the in-flight emergency procedures to be followed when such a condition is suspected.