What happened
On 15 May 2010, a training flight involving an instructor and a student pilot resulted in a fatal accident at the Heidehof farm airstrip in the Western Cape. The flight, intended for license renewal exercises, included various maneuvers such as stalls and steep turns. While performing a left-hand climbing turn at approximately 200 feet above ground level, the aircraft's engine suddenly lost power.
In an attempt to manage the emergency, the student pilot directed the aircraft toward an open field. However, due to insufficient altitude and time, the pilot opted to land on a farm road adjacent to a fence. During the landing flare, the right wing tip struck a bush, causing the aircraft to pitch forward and groundloop. The impact destroyed the Windlass trike, registration ZS-WXS. The student pilot sustained fatal injuries, while the instructor suffered serious injuries.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and the engine components to determine the cause of the power loss. While the engine passed compression tests and showed no external damage, technicians noted a lack of spark during cranking. Upon inspecting the ignition coil, investigators discovered that an internal earth wire had failed to maintain a connection.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine failure was a damaged earth wire on the ignition coil, which caused the engine to stop in flight.
- The instructor and student pilot were both properly licensed, and the aircraft was airworthy at the time of dispatch.
- Weather conditions were clear with light winds, and were not a contributing factor to the accident.
- The student pilot was in control of the aircraft at the time of the engine failure and was attempting an appropriate emergency procedure.