What happened
On 19 April 2005, a Mooney M20F, registration ZS-EUB, was conducting a private flight from Klerksdorp Aerodrome to Jakkalsdans Private Aerodrome. Following a successful landing on the grass runway, the pilot attempted to backtrack along the runway to prepare for departure. While executing a turn through a heading of 160 degrees, the nose landing gear wheel encountered a shallow mole hole that had not been detected. This impact caused the propeller to strike the ground.
The pilot immediately shut down the engine and inspected the aircraft. The incident resulted in no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained minor damage to a single propeller blade.
The investigation
The investigation reviewed the aircraft's maintenance history and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. Meteorological data indicated northwesterly winds of 10 to 15 knots and visibility exceeding 10 km.
Records confirmed that the aircraft's last Mandatory Periodic Inspection (MPI) was completed on 11 February 2005, with the airframe having accumulated 36 hours since that inspection. The maintenance organization responsible for the certification held a valid approval at the time of the event. Additionally, the investigation verified that all applicable Airworthiness Directives and Service Bulletins had been complied with for this aircraft type.