Incident Details
On 26 August 2006 at approximately 0530Z, a Cessna 206 (registration ZS-OWY) landed at the Spartan Private Aerodrome near Marquard. The pilot, accompanied by three passengers, had just touched down and began taxiing towards the hangar. A person at the hangar gestured for the pilot to park the aircraft to the side on a grass-covered area. While maneuvering the aircraft to the allocated parking spot, the nose-wheel entered a soft patch of sand, causing the nose and propeller to contact the ground.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The pilot held a valid Private Pilot License with a total flying experience of 300 hours, of which 295 were on the Cessna 206 type. The pilot's non-restricted medical certificate was valid until 28 August 2006. The aircraft's last Mandatory Periodic Inspection (MPI) was certified on 11 August 2006 at 3566.0 airframe hours, and the aircraft had flown 9 hours since then. The Certificate of Registration (No: 549/ZS-OWY/1) was issued on 1 September 2006, but the Certificate of Airworthiness was not valid at the time of the incident.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft sustained scratches on the paint of the propeller and the lower cowl was dented. Neither the pilot nor the three passengers reported any injuries.
Probable Cause
The nose-wheel of the aircraft entered a soft patch of sand while the pilot was maneuvering the aircraft to park near the hangar.