What happened
On 18 December 2011, a Cessna 206, registration ZS-PLR, was conducting a private flight from Secunda Aerodrome to Kimberley. Approximately 46 minutes into the journey, the pilot observed that the engine oil pressure had dropped to zero. After notifying Air Traffic Control of the emergency, the pilot elected to divert to Parys Aerodrome for a precautionary landing.
Four minutes after declaring the intention to divert, the engine failed completely. The pilot performed a forced landing in a corn field located roughly seven nautical miles south of Parys. During the impact, the aircraft's nose gear struck soft ground and detached, resulting in substantial damage to the propeller, the engine cowling, and the left wing tip. Both the pilot and the passenger escaped the incident with no injuries.
The investigation
Following the accident, the aircraft was transported to a maintenance facility for a detailed examination. Investigators removed the engine to determine the nature of the failure. The inspection revealed that the engine had seized during flight due to a total loss of lubrication.
Technical analysis traced the oil leak to a loose gland nut on the oil filter arm. Although the wire locking was found to be intact, investigators determined that the nut may not have been sufficiently tightened prior to the application of the locking wire. Records also indicated that the engine had undergone maintenance involving the removal and reinstallation of the oil filter just weeks earlier, following a separate low oil pressure issue.