What happened
On 16 April 2003, a Cessna 182J, registration ZS-NNU, was performing a private flight from Stellenbosch Aerodrome toward the De Rust Paul Cluver Wine Estate near Elgin. The weather conditions at the time of the incident were clear with calm winds.
Upon arriving at the destination, the pilot executed a smooth touchdown on runway 19. However, due to the uneven nature of the terrain, the aircraft briefly became airborne again shortly after contact with the ground. As the aircraft continued down the gravel runway, the pilot reduced engine power to idle and applied the brakes. While attempting to maneuver the aircraft to the left to facilitate a right-hand turn for backtracking toward the parking area, the nose wheel and the left-hand main wheel encountered a mound of soft sand located at the edge of the runway. This caused the nose of the aircraft to pitch downward, resulting in the propeller and the wingtip making contact with the ground. There were no injuries reported during the event.
The investigation
Investigators examined the site and the aircraft's maintenance history. An Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) inspected the wreckage and confirmed that the aircraft's nose and left-hand main wheel had rolled over a mound of soft sand during the turn. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's last periodic inspection had been completed approximately 50 flight hours prior to the incident. Additionally, a previous CAA audit of the AMO had identified deficiencies regarding non-destructive testing requirements and expired instrument calibrations.
Findings
- The aircraft encountered a mound of soft sand on the side of the runway during a turn.
- The pilot failed to maintain an adequate lookout while maneuvering the aircraft on the runway surface.
- The uneven terrain and gravel surface contributed to the aircraft's unstable behavior immediately following touchdown.