What happened
On 26 May 2006, a Zenair-Zodiac, registration ZU-AUL, was performing a private flight departing from Fochville Aerodrome. Shortly after takeoff, at an altitude of approximately 20 feet, the pilot observed significant amounts of smoke emerging from the engine cowling. The density of the smoke was such that it obscured the pilot's forward view, leaving visibility only through the left-side window.
With the aircraft roughly halfway down the runway, the pilot decided to execute an immediate landing. While the aircraft touched down successfully, the remaining runway length was insufficient to stop the aircraft before the end of the pavement. Despite the pilot's attempts to use the brakes, the aircraft overshot the runway, passed through the perimeter fence, and finally came to a stop approximately 15 metres beyond the boundary. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries resulting from the event.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft following the incident. A post-accident inspection conducted by the pilot revealed that an oil cooler hose had become detached from its crimped fitting. This failure caused engine oil to leak directly onto the hot exhaust components, which generated the thick smoke observed during the takeoff roll.
Records indicated that the aircraft had undergone its most recent annual inspection on 13 May 2006, with only 0.44 flying hours logged since that maintenance event. The investigation also noted that while the pilot held a valid license, they were not officially type-rated for this specific aircraft model.
Findings
- The primary cause of the runway excursion was the smoke obscuring the pilot's vision, which necessitated an emergency landing with insufficient runway remaining.
- A mechanical failure involving a failed swage fitting allowed oil to spray onto the hot exhaust duct, creating the smoke.
- The pilot's braking efforts were unable to prevent the aircraft from overshooting the runway threshold.