History of Flight
On 15 February 2006, the pilot collected the Beechcraft V35B (ZS-IMZ) from an Aircraft Maintenance Organisation at Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB) after a Mandatory Periodic Inspection. The aircraft was refuelled with 28.7 litres (7.58 gallons) of AVGAS before departure on a private flight to Ermelo. According to reports, the aircraft landed at Kitty Hawk (FAKT) and immediately took off again; no communication occurred with personnel at that location.
The aircraft later crashed in an open field on a farm in Evander, approximately 8.4 km from Secunda Aerodrome. An eyewitness observed the aircraft attempting a forced landing with the engine not running and landing gear extended. The aircraft touched down at high speed, bounced, rolled, and struck the ground nose-first in a left-wing low attitude, then ground-looped and came to rest facing the opposite direction. The accident occurred in daylight conditions.
Injuries to Persons
The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries.
Damage to Aircraft
The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces. Damage included the undercarriage, propeller, fuselage, and both wings; the left wing was destroyed.
Other Damage
There was no other damage.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a Commercial pilot licence, was male, aged 28, and had accumulated 314 total flying hours. His licence was valid, and he held Instrument and Night ratings. His logbook could not be located.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Beechcraft V35B (serial number D9278) built in 1971, with a total airframe time of 5329.6 hours. The engine was a Continental IO-520-BA with 201.0 hours since new. The last MPI was completed on the day of the accident at 5328.5 airframe hours; the aircraft had flown 1.1 hours since. The AMO that performed the MPI was properly licensed.
During the post-MPI ground run, the engine had stopped due to the left fuel tank running dry; the fuel selector was switched to the right tank and the engine restarted. This was reported to the pilot before departure.
Meteorological Information
Wind was from 140° at 3 knots, visibility was OK, temperature 25°C, with scattered clouds at 400 ft.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The aircraft struck the ground in a nose-first, left-wing low attitude after a high-speed landing attempt. The fuel selector was found set to the right-hand tank. The left tank had ruptured, the right tank was intact but contained only unusable fuel. The fuel distributor was empty. Propeller scratch marks indicated the engine was not running at impact.
Medical and Pathological Information
A post-mortem determined the cause of death as multiple blunt injuries. Toxicology showed no alcohol (0.00 g/100 mL).
Survival Aspects
The high impact forces destroyed the cabin, and the accident was considered not survivable.
Additional Information
The aircraft flight manual stated the pilot's responsibility to ensure sufficient fuel, requiring at least 13 gallons per tank before takeoff. Civil Aviation Regulations require pilots to carry adequate fuel for the planned flight.
Probable Cause
The accident was attributed to an unsuccessful forced landing due to engine stoppage. The engine stopped because of fuel exhaustion.