What happened
On 27 March 2011, a Cessna 206, registration ZS-PSC, was conducting a parachute drop operation at Delta 200 airfield. After successfully dropping a group of skydivers from approximately 11,000 feet, the pilot received clearance from Cape Town control to descend toward the airfield. However, while flying at roughly 900 feet above the ground, the engine lost power and ceased operation.
In an attempt to reach runway 20, the pilot performed a base turn and tried to restart the engine. After failing to regain power, the pilot identified a suitable area for an emergency landing. The aircraft struck a fire service road just outside the airfield. During the impact, the nose landing gear dug into the soft sand, causing the left wingtip to strike the ground. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the propeller, engine cowling, nose gear, and left wingtip, though there were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and the aircraft's systems to determine the cause of the power loss. The inspection of the fuel system revealed that the right fuel tank was completely empty, while the left tank held approximately 40 litres of fuel. The investigation confirmed that the engine stopped because the fuel supply from the right tank had been exhausted.
While the pilot attempted to switch the fuel selector to the left tank to facilitate a restart, the engine remained non-operational. During subsequent engine trials, investigators noted that the electric fuel pump was functioning intermittently, likely due to a loose wire on the pump'icroswitch. This malfunction may have been caused by the forces of the impact itself.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine failure was fuel starvation resulting from the exhaustion of fuel in the right tank.
- The pilot failed to monitor the fuel levels sufficiently, leading to the depletion of the right tank.
- The aircraft was properly maintained, and the weather conditions were clear and suitable for flight.
- The failure to restart the engine after switching tanks was potentially linked to an intermittent electric fuel pump.