What happened
On 05 June 2006, a private microlight flight departed from Robertsvale (Gonubie) near East London. The pilot intended to fly along the coastline toward Hamburg and subsequently return to the departure point. During the return leg of the journey, at approximately 1345Z, the aircraft's engine ceased functioning as the pilot passed Nahoon Reef near Bonza Bay.
In response to the failure, the pilot attempted to establish a glide approach toward the beach. After verifying that fuel remained in the tank, the pilot attempted an engine restart, but the engine failed to relight. Unable to reach the shore, the pilot was forced to ditch the ZS-VDC into the sea approximately 150 metres from the beach. The pilot successfully exited the aircraft and swam to safety, sustaining no injuries.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and the pilot's credentials. The pilot held a valid microlight pilot's license with a Class B instructor's rating and a valid medical certificate. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had completed 15 hours of flight time since its last annual inspection, which had been performed on 20 May 2006.
Upon recovery, the aircraft and engine were found to have sustained extensive damage. The impact with the water and the subsequent movement of the wreckage over rocks near the shore caused significant damage to the fuel system and carburettors. Notably, the engine itself showed no evidence of seizure or mechanical malfunction prior to the event.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine failure could not be determined because the extensive damage to the engine and its components caused by the ditching and subsequent impact with rocks prevented a definitive analysis of the failure mechanism.