History of Flight
On 27 March 2011, at approximately 1320Z, a pilot took off from runway 20 at Delta 200 airfield (FADX) with a group of skydivers for a paradrop flight. The plan was to return to Delta 200 after dropping the skydivers. After the last group exited at about 11,000 feet, the pilot received clearance from Cape Town control tower to descend over the airfield. At approximately 900 feet above ground level, the aircraft lost engine power and quit. The pilot continued a base turn toward runway 20 and attempted to restart the engine, but it failed to restart. Realizing he would not reach the runway, the pilot identified a suitable area for a forced landing. He executed the landing on a fire service road just outside Delta 200. During the rollout, the left wingtip struck the ground as the nose landing gear dug into soft sand, causing substantial damage to the left wingtip and nose landing gear. The accident occurred at about 1330Z in daylight.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a Cessna 206, registration ZS-PSC, serial number 206-0112, manufactured in 1964. It was powered by a Continental IO-520A engine and fitted with a McCauley propeller. The total airframe hours at the time were 5,807. The aircraft had a valid certificate of airworthiness. The pilot held a valid commercial pilot licence with 447 total flying hours, including 104 hours on type. The flight was a skydiver dropping operation under Cape Parachute Centre.
Investigation
Post-accident examination revealed that the right fuel tank was empty, while the left tank contained approximately 40 litres of fuel. Both fuel gauges were working properly. Inspection of the aircraft, engine, and related systems found no anomalies that would explain the loss of engine power. During an engine trial run, the electric fuel pump operated intermittently due to a loose wire on the microswitch; the cause of the looseness could not be determined, possibly due to impact forces. The pilot stated that before attempting a restart, he moved the fuel selector from the right tank to the left tank. The right tank was the one supplying fuel when the engine stopped. The engine failed to restart, possibly because the electric pump was intermittent. The accident was survivable; the pilot was uninjured and securely strapped.
Probable Cause
The probable cause was an unsuccessful forced landing due to fuel starvation, with a contributory factor of poor fuel management by the pilot.