What happened
On February 15, 2000, a Grumman 164B, registration ZS-KEW, was conducting a crop spraying mission in the Weipe district. While performing a spray run, the aircraft's engine suffered a complete failure. In an effort to manage the emergency, the pilot jettisoned the remaining chemical payload before executing a forced landing within a cotton field.
Upon touchdown, the soft and saturated soil caused the aircraft to nose over. Despite the impact, the pilot sustained no injuries, and the aircraft did not suffer significant structural damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the mechanical state of the engine following the incident. The engine was subsequently placed on a test bench, where inspections revealed no detectable mechanical defects or malfunctions.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine failure is attributed to the possibility of water contamination within the fuel system, likely resulting from recent heavy rainfall in the region.
- The aircraft's nose-over during the landing was caused by the unstable, wet ground conditions in the cotton field.