What happened
On 11 June 2018, a Cozy Fish Eagle aircraft, registration ZU-BNH, departed from Port Elizabeth International Airport (FAPE) for a private flight within the general flying area. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to 1,700 feet, the pilot issued a "Mayday" call to Air Traffic Control, reporting an engine failure.
In an attempt to return to the airport, the pilot initiated a turn back toward the runway. However, radar data indicated that the aircraft began losing altitude rapidly during this maneuver. The pilot communicated via radio that the aircraft was entering a valley and expressed grave concern regarding the situation. The aircraft subsequently struck trees in the Baakens Valley, approximately one nautical mile northeast of the airport, and a post-impact fire erupted. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed most of the airframe, and the pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and the engine, which was a Rover 3500 V8 adapted from an automobile engine. The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the engine and the flight path taken during the emergency.
Investigators analyzed the aircraft's glide performance, noting that at the time of the engine failure, the aircraft was at 1,700 feet. After the turn back to the airport, the altitude dropped to approximately 1,400 feet. Based on the aircraft's glide ratio, the pilot had sufficient distance to glide roughly 2.1 nautical miles, but the airport remained 3 nautical miles away, making a return to the runway impossible without sufficient altitude.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine stoppage was the failure of the distributor drive gear teeth, which disrupted the engine's ignition timing.
- The pilot attempted to return to the airport despite having insufficient altitude to reach the runway.
- The investigation noted that several open areas, including a beach and a dam, were available for a safer forced landing, but the pilot's decision to turn back toward the airport resulted in a loss of height that led to the crash.
- The engine used in the aircraft was a modified automotive engine, and the maintenance manual for the component used in the failure was designed for vehicular use (measured in kilometers) rather than aviation use (measured in hours).
Safety action
- The SACAA should ensure that components used in non-type certified aircraft (NTCA) are properly aligned with aviation standards, specifically regarding maintenance intervals and limits, to avoid the use of automotive-based metrics like kilometers for critical engine parts.