What happened
On 29 September 2013, a Van's Aircraft RV-6A, registration ZU-FNB, was conducting private VFR flight operations at Klerksdorp Aerodrome (FAKD) in the North West Province. The pilot had previously completed a short, uneventful flight with a child passenger before embarking on a second flight accompanied by an adult passenger. During the second circuit, the aircraft was observed performing several laps of the general flying area.
While flying the circuit pattern, the aircraft experienced engine power loss due to fuel exhaustion. In an attempt to correct the aircraft's position after overshooting the runway, the pilot initiated a turn that resulted in a sudden nose pitch-up followed by a rapid descent. Witnesses observed the aircraft enter a spin, which continued until it impacted the ground near Runway 05. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, and both the pilot and the passenger sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and interviewed witnesses to reconstruct the flight sequence. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was an amateur-built experimental model that was fully airworthy and had undergone a recent annual inspection. The pilot was found to be appropriately licensed, medically fit, and experienced in the operation of the RV-6A.
Technical analysis of the wreckage revealed that the engine had ceased operating because the fuel tanks were completely empty, indicating fuel exhaustion. Investigators also noted that the aircraft was intact upon impact but broke apart during the subsequent ground sequence. Meteorological data showed clear skies and light winds at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an uncoordinated turn performed at a critically low altitude.
- The pilot attempted to correct a runway overshoot by applying excessive aileron and rudder inputs, which increased the angle of attack on the outboard wing.
- This maneuver induced a stall on the left wing, leading to a spin.
- The engine power loss, caused by fuel exhaustion, necessitated a forced landing maneuver under high-stress conditions.
- The low altitude at which the aircraft was operating made recovery from the resulting stall-spin impossible.