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| Date: | Thursday 30 January 2025 |
| Time: | 15:30 UTC |
| Type: | Davies Thunderbird MK II |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | ZU-SPS |
| MSN: | TDE-71 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 656 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | about 25 km W of Howick, KwaZulu-Natal Province -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Margate Airport (MGH/FAMG) |
| Ladysmith Airport (LAY/FALY) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
At 1205Z, the pilot opened the throttle to 6 500 revolutions per minute (RPM) and commenced with the take-off run. The aircraft rotated and climbed to 1 500 feet (ft) above ground level (AGL). After levelling off, he retarded the throttle to 6 200 RPM, cruising at 75 miles per hour (mph). About 25 kilometres (km) west of Howick and one (1) hour to FALY, the engine ran rough and lost power; moreover, the RPM dropped from 6200 to 6000 RPM.
The pilot turned on the auxiliary fuel as he thought the engine was receiving insufficient fuel to restore the RPM, however, the issue could not be resolved. The pilot elected to perform a forced landing on a farm. After the aircraft had come to a stop, the pilot switched off the master switch and fuel supply before he vacated the aircraft; he was not injured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the forced landing.
Probable Cause(s)
Engine loss of power caused by contaminated fuel; subsequently, an unsuccessful forced landing was conducted on a farm.
Contributing Factor(s)
Inadequate pre-flight inspection.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
SACAA
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Apr-2025 09:51 | ASN | Added |
| 09-Apr-2025 09:54 | ASN | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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