What happened
On 4 December 2003, a Jabiru SP6, registration ZU-CKK, was involved in a landing accident at Swartkerops Aerodrome (FASK). The aircraft, occupied by a student pilot and an instructor, was conducting a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) test flight. After completing various flight tests, the crew returned to the aerodrome to perform circuit work.
During the circuit, the instructor directed the student to perform a short-field landing. While the approach was initially standard, the aircraft encountered a slight updraft during the flare. This caused the aircraft to balloon above the runway, leading to a series of bounces, known as porpoising. In an effort to stabilize the aircraft, the student pushed the control column forward. This maneuver resulted in two additional bounces before the aircraft finally came to a stop approximately 50 meters down the runway.
Upon exiting the aircraft, the occupants discovered that the propeller had struck the runway surface and the nose wheel assembly had collapsed.
The investigation
The investigation confirmed that there were no fatalities and no injuries resulting from the event. The aircraft's maintenance records showed that a 50-hour inspection had been completed on 27 November 2003, with only 20.9 flight hours accumulated since that service. At the time of the incident, the aircraft held a valid Authority to Fly, and the pilot was properly licensed for the operation. The training school involved also held a valid accreditation.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the student pilot's improper response to the initial ballooning of the aircraft.
- By pushing the control column forward to correct the upward movement, the student applied an incorrect technique that exacerbated the bouncing motion.
- The subsequent hard impact in a nose-down attitude directly caused the collapse of the nose gear assembly and the propeller strike.