A00-058-7200
	SOUTH AFRICAN CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY ACCIDENT REPORT – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Date of Accident	24 May 2000		Time of Accident				1200Z
Aircraft Registration	ZS-WZE		Type of Aircraft				Grumman AA-1B
Pilot-in-command Licence Type			Private				Licence Valid			Yes
Pilot-in-command Flying Experience			Total Flying Hours		553		Total Hours on Type			60
Type of Operation			Private
Last point of departure			Phalaborwa
Next point of intended landing			Wonderboom
Location of the accident site with reference to easily defined geographical points (plus GPS readings if possible)
3 NM East of Wonderboom
Meteorological Information		Weather was fine
Number of people on board		1+1		No. of people injured		0		No. of people killed			0
Synopsis
The pilot (with no passengers) departed Wonderboom Airport during the morning of 24 May 2000 for a flight to Pietersburg (Civil) and then from there to Phalaborwa. The purpose of the flight was to collect his son from Phalaborwa. On their return flight abeam Middelburg the pilot reported a rough running engine and immediately applied carburettor heat and selected the fuel pump, which, according to the pilot, “cured the rough running engine problem partially”. When the pilot contacted Wonderboom for their joining and landing instructions, he was advised to orbit east of the Roodeplaat dam. According to the pilot the engine started running very rough after holding for approximately 5-10 minutes and he again applied carburettor heat and selected another fuel tank, but this time it did not correct the problem. The pilot experienced a total engine failure and did a forced landing in a grass field, however he overrun the field and impacted an embankment at the end of the field. Both occupants sustained minor injuries during the accident.
Probable Cause
The most probable cause for this accident can be attributed to fuel starvation.