What happened
On 7 November 2015, a Jabiru J430 micro-light aircraft, registered ZU-MJM, departed Richards Bay Aerodrome for a private flight along the coast. During a turnaround near Mntinzini, the pilot noticed a slight vibration through the airframe and engine. Although the pilot initially opted to continue the flight, the engine's performance began to degrade significantly.
While approaching Richards Bay, the pilot notified air traffic control of a rough-running engine. Shortly after, the engine stopped completely while the aircraft was flying near the Richards Bay Coal Terminal. The pilot declared an emergency and prepared for a forced landing. The aircraft was brought down safely on a beach near Richards Bay Harbour, above the waterline, with no injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
An investigation by the SACAA AIID focused on the sudden engine stoppage and the state of the aircraft upon landing. While the pilot had reported a rough-running engine, post-incident examination of the engine itself revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction that would have caused the stoppage.
However, upon disembarking, the pilot discovered that the Sensenich 2A0J5 carbon fiber propeller was missing from the aircraft. Investigators found that the propeller bolts had sheared off the crankshaft flange. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's airframe had accumulated 583.7 hours since its last annual inspection. A similar incident involving a propeller detachment on a Jabiru aircraft had been recorded in South Africa in 2014.
Findings
- The primary cause of the forced landing was an in-flight engine stoppage.
- A major contributing factor was the separation of the propeller from the aircraft during flight, though the specific reason for the bolt failure could not be determined.
- The pilot successfully avoided a more serious accident by adhering to emergency procedures and maintaining control of the aircraft following the loss of power.