What happened
On Saturday, 28 February 2026, a Jabiru J430 registered ZU-IXR departed Mossel Bay Aerodrome (FAMO) for Plettenberg Bay Aerodrome (FAPG) in the Western Cape. The flight was conducted under visual meteorological conditions with the pilot and two passengers on board. Approximately 25 minutes into the journey, while flying along the coastline near Thembalethu in George, the pilot reported a loss of engine power to George Aerodrome tower. Noticing that the low fuel warning light had illuminated, the pilot attempted to restore power but was unsuccessful. He selected a field ahead on the flight path, configured the aircraft for landing with full flaps, and executed a forced landing. The aircraft sustained minor damage to the spring-loaded main landing gear and spats, but no one on board was injured.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the sequence of events, focusing on fuel management and pre-flight procedures. Investigators noted that earlier that morning, the pilot had flown from FAPG to FAMO with 59.3 litres of fuel indicated on the Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS). After a break at the aerodrome, he departed for the return leg without physically checking the fuel tanks, relying instead on the EFIS reading and the aircraft owner's assurance that fuel had been added. The investigation revealed that the EFIS fuel computer had not been reset after the previous flight, leading to an inaccurate display. Furthermore, the aircraft's flight folio showed no record of fuel uplift since September 2025, despite significant flying hours logged, indicating poor record-keeping. When the aircraft was recovered, the tanks contained less than one litre of usable fuel, confirming that the engine stopped due to fuel exhaustion rather than a mechanical fault.
Findings
The primary cause of the incident was the in-flight engine stoppage resulting from running out of fuel. Contributing factors included an inadequate pre-flight inspection where the pilot failed to verify fuel quantity physically and relied on erroneous digital readings. Additionally, the pilot operated the aircraft without a valid licence, as his private pilot licence had expired and his renewal application had not been processed due to a missing medical certificate. The investigation also highlighted insufficient understanding of the EFIS system by the pilot, which contributed to the incorrect assessment of available fuel.
Safety action
No specific safety recommendations were issued in the report, as the issues identified pertained primarily to individual pilot compliance and operational procedures rather than systemic regulatory or design flaws requiring broader industry intervention.