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| Date: | Tuesday 11 July 2023 |
| Time: | 08:17 |
| Type: |  Ayres S2R-H80 |
| Owner/operator: | Orsmond Aviation |
| Registration: | ZS-ARC |
| MSN: | H80-124 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2013 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3794 hours |
| Engine model: | GE H80-100 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Droeivlei Farm in Malmesbury -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Rosenburg Farm |
| Rosenburg Farm | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The Thrush S2R-H80 aircraft with registration ZS-ARC took off on a crop-spraying mission from Rosenburg Farm in Malmesbury, Western Cape province, to Droeivlei Farm which is approximately 10 kilometres (km) south of Malmesbury in the same province with the intention to return to Rosenburg Farm.
The pilot reported that upon arrival at Droeivlei Farm, he commenced with the first crop-spray run on the oats crops. Approximately 27 minutes into the mission, the propeller blades advanced to feathered position without the pilot’s input which resulted in the engine power loss. The aircraft could not maintain altitude and the pilot executed a forced landing on the wheat field in a neighbouring farm. Thereafter, the pilot switched off the master switch and disembarked from the aircraft. The undercarriage bumped a soft spot in the soil and collapsed, the left-wing, the propeller blades and the fuselage sustained substantial damage during the forced landing sequence. The pilot sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital for medical attention.
The propeller governor system failed which caused the loss of oil pressure to the propeller and thus, feathered, followed by engine power loss and an unsuccessful forced landing.
Probable Cause/s and/or Contributory Factors
Engine power loss during the crop-spraying mission which led to the execution of an unsuccessful forced landing on a wheatland.
Contributory Factors
The propeller governor (PG) failed which led to the loss of oil pressure in the propeller control system; this caused the propeller blades to advance to feathered position.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
CAA S.A.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Sep-2024 09:01 | ASN | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
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