What happened
On 4 June 2006, a Cessna U206A, registration ZS-EJT, departed from Kitty Hawk Aerodrome for a private flight to a farm near Wolmaranstad. The flight was intended to visit a family member, and the aircraft carried the pilot and three passengers.
Upon arriving over the destination, the crew observed that the farm's private airstrip was blocked by recently harvested grass bales. Seeking an alternative landing site, the pilot attempted to land the aircraft on a nearby gravel road. During the maneuver, the aircraft touched down further along the road than the pilot had intended. This caused the wingtips to strike two small trees lining the roadway. The aircraft then veered left and made contact with a third tree before coming to a halt. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries among the four occupants.
The investigation
The SACAA AIID examined the circumstances surrounding the landing and the aircraft's maintenance history. The investigation confirmed that the pilot held a valid Airline Transport Pilot’s licence and was properly type rated for the Cessna U206A. The aircraft's last mandatory periodic inspection had been completed in November 2005, with only four flight hours logged since that service.
Findings
Technical analysis of the wreckage showed damage to the wingtips, the leading edges of the wings, and minor damage to the rudder. The investigation established that the primary cause of the incident was a pilot error of judgement. The pilot chose to utilize a public road as a landing strip because the intended runway was obstructed, despite regulations prohibiting such use except in true emergencies. The physical contact with the trees was a direct result of the aircraft touching down deeper than anticipated during this unauthorized landing attempt.