What happened
On 17 June 2010, a private flight near Hazyview was interrupted when the pilot of a Bantam B22J, registration ZU-DVG, experienced a sudden engine failure. The pilot, who was accompanied by one passenger, attempted to restart the engine during the descent but was unsuccessful.
To manage the emergency, the pilot opted for a short-field approach into a nearby open, ploughed field. While the initial touchdown of the aircraft was normal, the landing roll was interrupted when the aircraft encountered a freshly dug water pipe ditch. The impact with the ditch caused the undercarriage to collapse, forcing the aircraft to flip onto its roof. Despite the substantial damage to the airframe and fabric, both occupants escaped without injury.
The investigation
An investigation into the engine failure focused on the aircraft's fuel system. The aircraft had been refuelled from drums, and while the owner had taken precautions to check for impurities, the manufacturer's subsequent inspection of the stripped-down engine and fuel system revealed the presence of dirt and sediment within the fuel tank. No other mechanical anomalies were found within the engine itself.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine failure was fuel contamination.
- The pilot was unaware of the presence of the ditch in the ploughed field during the emergency landing.
- The aircraft's undercarriage failure and subsequent inversion were directly caused by the terrain feature encountered during the landing roll.
Safety action
Following the investigation, it was recommended that the Director of Civil Aviation advise relevant aviation divisions to incorporate the risks of fuel contamination into safety promotion and awareness activities.