What happened
On 12 December 2001, a Cessna A150K, registration ZS-IDN, departed from Pongola Airport for a local private flight. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and one passenger. After departing, the flight proceeded north of the airfield, climbing to 4,000 feet to perform aerobatic maneuvers, which included aileron rolls and wingovers.
As the aircraft returned to the aerodrome, the pilot attempted a glide approach, joining the left downwind for Runway 16. Upon realizing the aircraft was too high over the runway threshold, the pilot initiated a go-around procedure. While the engine initially responded normally, the power failed at an altitude of approximately 200 feet above the ground, near the hangars located to the left of the runway centerline. The engine briefly restarted before failing completely.
In an attempt to manage the emergency, the pilot executed a forced landing to the right of the runway. However, during the descent, the aircraft's undercarriage struck a metal structure, which caused the plane to impact the ground in a nose-first position. There were no fatalities, though the passenger sustained one injury.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the engine's loss of power and the subsequent impact. The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the go-around maneuver and the mechanical state of the engine. The inquiry also assessed the flight path and the obstacles encountered during the emergency landing attempt.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an engine failure during the attempted go-around.
- The pilot was unable to clear an obstacle located near the runway before the aircraft struck the ground.
- The engine failure is most likely attributable to fuel starvation.