What happened
On June 20, 2002, a PIPER PA 31-350, registered ZS-NDN, was involved in an incident at Johannesburg International Airport (FAJS). The aircraft had just completed a charter flight from the Sabi Sands area and was preparing for a ferry flight to Wonderboom Aerodrome. During a pre-flight inspection, the pilot discovered that the flaps were stuck in the fully extended position and could not be retracted due to a mechanical issue.
Despite the configuration, the pilot proceeded with the takeoff from Runway 03L. Shortly after rotation, the landing gear was retracted. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft experienced a significant loss of power from the left-hand engine, accompanied by heavy black smoke. The pilot attempted to return to the runway to land. However, because the landing gear had already been retracted and the aircraft was still in a high-drag flap configuration, the propellers and flaps struck the runway surface for about 12 meters. After pulling the nose up and attempting to re-extend the gear, the aircraft ran out of runway, veered left, and came to a stop on the grass near the perimeter fence. There were no injuries.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the mechanical state of the aircraft and the engine performance during the incident. The investigation focused on why the flaps failed to retract and the specific cause of the sudden engine power loss during the takeoff roll.