What happened
On 11 September 2024, a flight instructor and a student pilot were conducting a training flight in a Piper PA 34-200T Seneca II, registration ZS-MCR. The flight began at Brakpan Airport (FABB) with a trip to Springs Airport (FASI) for maintenance tasks. Prior to the flight, an engineer had cleaned six spark plugs on the left engine following a reported magneto drop anomaly.
After completing instrument flying exercises in the eastern general flying area, the crew returned to Brakpan for touch-and-go landing practice on Runway 36. During the second circuit, the pilot applied full power for the initial climb. However, the aircraft suddenly experienced a heavy left yaw. The flight instructor took control, feathering the left propeller and retracting the landing gear to mitigate drag. Despite these actions, the aircraft could not maintain altitude, the airspeed dropped rapidly, and the plane descended into a "wheels-up" landing approximately 60 metres left of the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the propellers and underbelly, though the crew escaped without injury.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the sequence of events following the engine's performance issues. The investigation noted that the left engine had shown an irregular magneto drop (150 RPM) during pre-flight checks earlier that day. The investigation also reviewed the maintenance performed at the maintenance organisation (AMO) in Springs, where spark plugs had been cleaned and engine parameters were verified as within limits prior to the training session. The aircraft's impact was characterized by a skid of approximately 150 metres, during which the right engine propeller separated from its flange.
Findings
- The aircraft landed in a gear-up configuration following the failure of the left engine.
- The engine failure caused a significant left yaw and a rapid loss of altitude.
- The flight instructor successfully managed the emergency by feathering the windmilling propeller and retracting the undercarriage.
- The aircraft sustained damage to both propellers and the lower airframe.