What happened
On 7 April 2007, a private flight departing from Bapsfontein aerodrome was interrupted by a sudden loss of power. The pilot, accompanied by one passenger, was performing a landing approach at Rhino Park aerodrome when the engine failed while the aircraft was on right base for runway 09.
In response to the failure, the pilot executed a forced landing in a dried-out wetland area characterized by dense, tall grass. Although the aircraft successfully touched down, it continued forward for approximately 30 meters before nosing over and coming to rest in an inverted position. The occupants immediately exited the wreckage due to concerns regarding a potential post-impact fire. There were no injuries reported.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and the Rotax 618 engine. The inspection revealed that the engine had seized and could not be rotated manually. A teardown of the engine components identified significant internal damage, including broken oil rings found within the crankcase.
Beyond the mechanical failure, the investigation also reviewed the aircraft's weight and balance. It was determined that the total weight of the aircraft exceeded its maximum permitted gross weight by approximately 23.5 kg, representing a 5.2% overload.