What happened
On March 18, 2001, a Europa aircraft, registration ZU-BFI, was conducting a private flight from Rustenburg (FARG) toward Wonderboom Airport (FAWB). While flying at an altitude of 5,800 feet near the Bon Accord dam, approximately 2.5 nautical miles from the destination, the pilot notified Air Traffic Control of engine roughness. Because of this mechanical issue, the pilot requested a straight-in approach to Runway 11, which was not the active runway at the time.
Shortly after this communication, the pilot informed controllers that the aircraft was descending and that an emergency landing in an open field was imminent. The aircraft came to rest approximately 1.2 km northwest of the Runway 11 threshold, positioned about 500 meters to the left of the centerline. Despite the emergency, the pilot executed a successful forced landing.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the engine failure and the subsequent landing. The investigation confirmed that there were no injuries to the occupants and that the aircraft sustained only limited damage during the touchdown in the field. The weather conditions at the time of the incident were reported as fine.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine failure was likely fuel exhaustion.
- The pilot successfully managed the emergency to prevent a more serious accident.
- The aircraft landed in an open area near the airport threshold.