History of Flight
On 14 October 2014, a Jabiru SK aircraft (registration ZU-BOK) departed Mossel Bay aerodrome (FAMO) for a private flight to Riversdale. The pilot, accompanied by a passenger, reported no snags and conducted a pre-flight inspection. With 38 liters of Avgas LL 100, the aircraft was pulled from the hangar and prepared. After boarding and securing, the pilot started the engine, taxied to runway 09, and took off. During climb at approximately 150 feet and 65 knots indicated airspeed, the engine began running rough and subsequently stopped. The aircraft could not maintain height. The pilot immediately pushed the control column forward to perform a forced landing on the remaining runway, about 120 meters in length.
Upon landing, the nose gear strut broke, and the aircraft skidded approximately 70 meters before stopping. The pilot switched off the fuel selector and master, unbuckled himself and the passenger, and both vacated the aircraft. Emergency services were notified and disconnected the battery as a precaution. The accident occurred in daylight within the aerodrome boundaries.
Injuries and Damage
No injuries were reported among the pilot and passenger. Damage was limited to the nose gear strut, propeller blades, oil cooler, and engine cowling.
Aircraft Information
The Jabiru SK is a strut-braced, high-wing, fixed tricycle undercarriage, single-engine, two-seat aircraft made of composite materials. It is powered by a Jabiru 2200 four-stroke engine driving a fixed-pitch wooden propeller. The aircraft serial number is EC155, manufactured in 1998. At the time of the accident, total airframe hours were 265.2. The aircraft’s weight before departure was 977 lb, within the maximum take-off weight of 992 lb.
Meteorological Information
Meteorological conditions at the time were CAVOK (ceiling and visibility OK).
Investigation Findings
The investigation revealed a dislodged carburettor, which contributed to abnormal combustion conditions and subsequent engine stoppage in-flight. The probable cause was determined to be an unsuccessful forced landing after engine stoppage during climb due to abnormal combustion conditions. A contributing factor was poor maintenance practices.
Note: The aircraft had a previous accident in 2003 involving engine failure and an unsuccessful forced landing. Maintenance records were incomplete, and the engine had been repaired by the previous owner without involvement from Jabiru Aircraft SA.