What happened
On 18 October 2000, a Cessna 182, registered ZS-EGS, was conducting a private flight from Komatipoort to Tzaneen. During the flight, which was maintained at an altitude of 4,500 feet, the pilot encountered low-level cloud cover near Hoedspruit. To navigate the weather, the pilot requested and received clearance for a lower altitude from Hoerdspruit Air Traffic Control for the remainder of the trip.
As the aircraft approached within approximately 10 nautical miles of Tzaneen, the pilot determined that the remaining fuel was insufficient to reach the intended destination. While searching for an appropriate location for a precautionary landing, the aircraft suffered fuel exhaustion. The pilot was forced to perform an emergency landing on a dirt road. During the descent, the landing gear struck and severed several telephone wires. As the aircraft rolled along the road, the left wing clipped trees, causing the aircraft to overturn after passing under additional overhead telephone lines.
The investigation
Investigators established that the pilot had not refueled the aircraft prior to departing from Komatipoely. Meteorological conditions at the time of the incident included low-level clouds, though conditions improved to CAVOC later in the day. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was being operated for private purposes and that the pilot held a valid private pilot license.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was fuel exhaustion.
- The pilot failed to replenish the aircraft's fuel supply before the flight from Komatipoort.
- The necessity for a low-level flight due to cloud cover contributed to the sequence of events leading to the forced landing.
- The pilot sustained 1 minor injury, while the two passengers remained uninjured.