What happened
On 20 January 2002, a BEECH V35A, registration ZS-FZB, was involved in a ground incident at Babsfontein Aerodrome. The aircraft, operated as a private flight, was being taxied along the runway in preparation for takeoff. During this maneuver, the aircraft's propeller made contact with a tow-bar that was still connected to the nose wheel.
The impact was forceful enough to sever the tow-bar. A fragment of the equipment was propelled from the aircraft and struck a motor vehicle parked at a nearby smallholding. While the vehicle sustained a dented roof and slight damage to the rear right-hand door, there were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger on board.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the sequence of events leading to the propeller strike. The investigation focused on the state of the aircraft's gear and the pilot's pre-flight procedures. The inquiry established that the weather conditions at the time of the incident were fine and did not contribute to the event.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the pilot's failure to perform a thorough pre-flight inspection.
- Due to the incomplete inspection, the crew failed to notice that the tow-bar had not been removed from the nose wheel prior to taxiing.
- The physical contact between the rotating propeller and the stationary tow-bar resulted in the structural failure of the bar and the subsequent projectile motion of its components.