What happened
On 20 May 2005, a Piper PA24-250, registered ZS-CKH, was conducting a private flight from Bothaville Aerodrome toward Grabouw. The flight plan included a scheduled stop at Beaufort West Aerodrome to refuel. During the approach to the runway at Beaufort West, the aircraft's engine ceased operation. In the effort to reach the runway following the power loss, the pilot failed to extend the landing gear. The aircraft subsequently performed a landing with the undercarriage retracted, causing significant damage to the propeller, the lower engine cowlings, and the belly skins extending from the firewall to just behind the main spar.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history and mechanical condition following the incident. Records indicated that the aircraft had been properly maintained, with all Airworthiness Directives and Service Bulletins complied with. The aircraft had flown approximately 25 hours since its last periodic inspection. While the aircraft was found to be in good mechanical standing, the engineer responsible for subsequent repairs noted that the fuel tanks were empty at the time of the incident. Subsequent testing of the fuel floats and gauges performed by a maintenance organization confirmed that all fuel monitoring equipment was functioning correctly.
Findings
- The engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion.
- The pilot's focus on reaching the runway after the engine failure led to the omission of the undercarriage extension.
- Inadequate flight planning regarding fuel requirements contributed to the event.