What happened
On 14 August 2007, a private pilot was operating a Teenie Two aircraft, registration ZS-UHC, on a flight from Aviators Paradise Aerodrome to Krugersdorp Aerodrome. While traversing the Magaliesberg mountain ridge near the Hartebeespoort dam, the engine suffered a sudden failure.
Initially, the pilot attempted to return to the departure airfield, but after realizing the aircraft lacked sufficient altitude to reach the runway, a forced landing was attempted on the R512 public road. Although the pilot monitored the road for traffic, the aircraft struck the roof of a moving vehicle during the landing flare. The impact caused the aircraft to slide off the vehicle and come to rest in the center of the road. There were no injuries to the pilot or the driver of the vehicle, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage and the vehicle's roof and windows were destroyed.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the mechanical state of the engine and the circumstances of the landing. The investigation focused on the engine, which utilized a Volkswagen automotive engine. It was discovered that the mechanical fuel pump installed on the engine was a generic aftermarket component rather than an original Volkswagen part.
Technicians found that the rocker arm within this generic pump, which was constructed of plastic, had fractured. This failure interrupted the fuel flow, leading to engine starvation. Additionally, investigators noted that while the aircraft was equipped with an auxiliary fuel pump, the pilot had switched off the battery master switch immediately following the engine failure, rendering the auxiliary pump unusable.