What happened
On 26 August 2006, a Cessna 206, registration ZS-OWY, arrived at a private aerodrome located at the Spartan Feed Paddock near Marquard. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and three passengers following a private flight from a farm in the Volkrust area.
Upon landing, the pilot began taxiing toward a hangar. During this maneuver, an individual at the hangar signaled for the pilot to park the aircraft on a grass-covered area to the side. As the pilot followed these instructions and moved the aircraft into the designated spot, the nose-wheel encountered a soft patch of sand. This caused the nose of the aircraft to dip, resulting in the propeller and the nose section making contact with the ground. There were no injuries reported for the four occupants.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance status and the pilot's credentials. The pilot held a valid private pilot license and a medical certificate that was current at the time of the event. Regarding the aircraft's maintenance, the last Mandatory Periodic Inspection (MPI) had been completed on 11 August 2006, with only nine flight hours accumulated since that inspection.
However, the investigation identified significant regulatory discrepancies regarding the aircraft's airworthiness. It was determined that the Certificate of Airworthiness was not valid at the time of the incident. Additionally, while the maintenance organization (AMO) had been audited earlier in 2006, that audit had previously uncovered issues regarding the lack of licensed personnel for certain aircraft under the organization's rating.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the nose-wheel of the Cessna 206 entering a soft patch of sand while the pilot was maneuvering toward the parking area.
- The aircraft sustained physical damage, including dents to the lower cowling and scratches to the propeller paint.
- The aircraft was being operated without a valid Certificate of Airworthiness.