Accident Overview
On 30 April 1999, at approximately 1315Z, a Cessna 172 aircraft registered ZS-EDC was involved in an accident while on approach to Nelspruit Airport (FANS). The aircraft had departed from Grand Central Airport (FAGC) with a pilot and one passenger on board. The destination was Nelspruit Airport, with runway 22 as the intended landing runway.
Sequence of Events
The pilot flew the aircraft from Grand Central Airport to Nelspruit Airport. During the approach, the aircraft ran out of fuel and crashed approximately 1 nautical mile south of runway 22. The accident occurred in fine weather conditions, as reported by witnesses.
Aircraft and Fuel System
The aircraft, a Cessna 172, was issued a Certificate of Airworthiness on 23 August 1977 and a Certificate of Registration on 1 December 1994. Prior to the accident flight, the owner had flown the aircraft from Fly-inn to Grand Central Airport after uplifting 80 litres of fuel. The pilot then took over for the flight to Nelspruit.
Post-accident examination revealed no signs of fuel leaks. Only 1 litre of fuel was retrieved from the fuel tanks. Both fuel gauges functioned correctly; however, the left-hand (L/H) sensor did not travel through its complete range. The float arm moved from the "FULL" position to a position representing a ¼ tank indication on the fuel gauge.
Occupants and Injuries
The aircraft carried one pilot and one passenger. Both occupants were listed as injured (1+1), but no fatalities were recorded (0 killed, 0 injured).
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the accident was caused by fuel starvation, leading to the engine losing power during the approach.