In accordance with its obligations under Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Republic of Zambia, investigated the circumstances surrounding the accident involving Cessna 210, registered ZS-KOX, 33 NM north of Livingstone, Zambia, on 9 September 2004.
At about the time that the aircraft reached its cruising level, the pilot reported engine vibration. The vibration became more severe and culminated in separation of the propeller from the engine with the corresponding loss of thrust. Although suitable forced landing sites were available, the pilot was unable to carry out a safe forced landing due to loss of visibility resulting from engine oil on the aircraft windscreen. On landing, the aircraft impacted trees at the end of a clearing and was destroyed. The accident was not survivable; the pilot and five passengers received fatal injuries.
As three of the passengers were Australian citizens, the DCA, on 12 October 2005, offered the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) involvement in the production of the final report. On 12 October 2005, the ATSB appointed an Accredited Representative to the DCA in accordance with Section 5.23 of Annex 13. The DCA supplied the ATSB with a copy of the draft of its final report on the accident and invited the ATSB to comment. ATSB provided comments on the draft and supplied additional technical information.
The DCA is yet to publish its final report on the accident.