History of the Flight
On 22 November 2012, at approximately 0455Z, a pilot accompanied by a passenger departed from Ulco mine (FAUC) for a firefighting operation near Koopmansfontein, South Africa. The aircraft arrived over the fire at 0520Z. For about four hours, the pilot operated overhead as a spotter. At approximately 0918Z, while preparing to depart, the pilot experienced engine problems. The engine surged, and the pilot leveled out to execute a forced landing onto a gravel road.
During the descent, the pilot enriched the mixture, and the engine ran smoothly again. The pilot then decided to head for Ulco mine's landing strip. He climbed at about 95 KIAS. Approximately three minutes into the flight, the engine surged again. Suspecting a dry fuel tank, the pilot switched to the left fuel tank. The engine surged again, and he selected the fuel tank to "BOTH". Suspecting carburetor icing, he applied carburetor heat for about one minute and then turned it off. The engine continued to surge.
The pilot had the runway in sight but could not reach it; the tar road was too busy. He chose an open farm clear of trees but with two sets of power lines perpendicular to his path. He cleared the first set of power lines but turned left, unable to restart the engine. He shut down the engine, applied flaps, and landed. The aircraft skidded for 150 to 200 meters before colliding with a tree on the right wing and another tree on the left wing, swinging the aircraft left before stopping. The pilot instructed the passenger to open the right door, and both evacuated.
Injuries to Persons
The pilot sustained no injuries. The passenger sustained minor injuries.
Damage to Aircraft
The aircraft sustained extensive damage to the wings, fuselage, left-hand undercarriage, and the nose undercarriage broke off.
Other Damage
No other damage was reported.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 27, held a valid Commercial Pilot License (CPL) and was endorsed on the aircraft type. He had a total flight experience of 335 hours, with 94 hours on type. His medical certificate was valid until 30 September 2012.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Cessna 182R (serial number 18267981, manufactured in 1981) with total airframe hours of 8572.9 at the time of the accident. The last Mandatory Periodic Inspection was performed on 29 October 2012 at 8526.2 hours. The aircraft was equipped with a Continental O-470B engine (serial number 827706, 1180 hours since new) and a Hartzell propeller.
Meteorological Information
The surface wind was south-westerly at 5 to 10 knots, temperature 25°C to 30°C, visibility fair, with no cloud cover.
Probable Cause
The probable cause was an unsuccessful forced landing following an engine failure during fire fighting, with a contributing factor of fuel exhaustion.