What happened
On 07 March 2016, a Piper PA28-140, registration ZS-EXV, was conducting a training flight from Lanseria International Airport to Wonderboom Aerodrome. The flight, operated by Skyhawk Aviation, was manned by a flight instructor and a student pilot. The mission involved performing several circuits and a full-stop landing.
During the flight, the aircraft experienced a sudden engine failure. The crew attempted to divert to Mountain View Aerodrome for an emergency landing. While communicating with Air Traffic Control, the student pilot issued multiple "MAYDAY" calls. The aircraft was unable to reach the runway threshold and instead performed a forced landing on a grass area approximately 100 meters short of Runway 25. Upon impact, the aircraft bounced into rocky terrain, leading to a post-impact fire that completely destroyed the aircraft. Both occupants sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and the engine components, involving technical assistance from the NTSB in the United States. The investigation noted that prior to the flight, an aircraft maintenance engineer had observed an unusual knocking sound coming from the engine while the aircraft was taxiing.
Technical analysis of the engine revealed that the failure originated within the internal components. Specifically, the investigation focused on the connecting rod and its associated hardware. The examination of the engine parts confirmed that the engine had been operated for over 1,800 hours since its last overhaul.