What happened
On 15 July 2011, a Tecnam P92-S ECHO, registration ZU-DHF, was participating in an acceptance flight following its annual inspection. The aircraft departed from Kitty Hawk Aero Estate in Gauteng Province, with the pilot and one passenger on board. After taking off from Runway 19, the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 300 feet when the engine began to sputter and subsequently ceased operation.
The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unable to do so. Consequently, the pilot executed a forced landing in an open, uneven field located roughly one mile east of the Kitty Hawk airfield. During the landing sequence, the left main wheel detached from the aircraft, and the left wing made contact with the ground. Despite the impact, there were no injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the engine failure and the subsequent landing. The investigation focused on the engine's performance during the initial climb and the mechanical state of the aircraft's fuel system. The inspection of the aircraft revealed damage to the tail cone, the elevator, the left wing, and the undercarriage.
Findings
- The engine failure was caused by fuel starvation.
- The landing was complicated by the uneven nature of the field, which contributed to the structural damage sustained by the aircraft.
- The investigation identified fuel mismanagement as a contributing factor to the event.