What happened
On 13 May 2006, an Allegro 2000 microllight, registration ZU-DRB, was conducting a private flight from Pietermaritzburg Aerodrome to Port Edward Microlight Airfield. Upon touchdown on Runway 09, the aircraft began drifting toward the left side of the runway, heading toward an adjacent sugarcane field.
In an attempt to maintain the centerline, the pilot applied the brakes and used right rudder input. However, the left wingtip made contact with the sugarcane stalks, which caused the aircraft to swing even further to the left. Because the aircraft lacked a differential braking system and the nose wheel had not yet made firm contact with the ground, the pilot's corrective actions were ineffective. The aircraft ultimately skidded off the runway and into the field. The pilot and one passenger were on board; both escaped the incident without injury, though the aircraft suffered damage to the nose gear and the port wingtip.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. The aircraft had undergone its most recent annual inspection on 23 April 2006, with only 3.3 flying hours logged since that service. Meteorological data indicated visibility of 5 nautical miles, light winds from 110 degrees, and no cloud cover. The investigators also noted that the grass surface was wet at the time of the landing.
Findings
- The aircraft lost directional control during the landing phase.
- The pilot's attempts to correct the leftward drift using right rudder and braking were insufficient due to the lack of a differential braking system and the fact that the nose wheel was still airborne.
- The wet condition of the grass contributed to the difficulty in maintaining control.
- A hard landing may have contributed to the initial loss of control.