What happened
On 12 August 2006, a Jabiru SP, registration ZU-PAC, was involved in an accident approximately 1 km from Brits Aerodrome. The flight, which was a private operation, was being piloted by an instructor accompanied by a passenger. Prior to the incident, the aircraft had undergone a pre-flight inspection and refueling at the Brits Aerodrome fuel bay, with the pilot calculating a total fuel load of 50 litres.
At approximately 0830Z, the aircraft taxied to the holding point of Runway 02. Following standard run-up checks, the aircraft commenced its takeoff roll and rotated at 60 mph. The aircraft climbed steadily, reaching 70 mph and 3000 rpm. However, during the execution of after-takeoff procedures—specifically while the pilot was in the process of retracting flaps and preparing to switch off the fuel pump—the engine failed.
As the aircraft flew over trees and approached power lines at an altitude of roughly 400 feet, the pilot identified an open field to the right of the runway. Due to the sudden nature of the failure, there was insufficient time to attempt an engine restart. The pilot executed a forced landing in the field.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of events from the pre-flight inspection through the engine failure and the subsequent landing. Investigators reviewed the aircraft's fuel status, noting that the aircraft had been refueled earlier that morning. The investigation also focused on the aircraft's contact with the terrain during the landing roll.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an engine failure occurring during the initial climb phase.
- The pilot was unable to perform an engine restart due to the low altitude and rapid onset of the failure.
- During the landing roll, the aircraft's undercarriage struck a mound of soil.
- This impact caused the nose gear to collapse and the left-side main wheel strut to break off, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft.
- There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries to the pilot and passenger.