What happened
On 23 September 2007, a Cessna 172, registration ZS-LXE, was involved in an incident at Grand Central Aerodrome (FAGC) during a training flight. The flight, consisting of an instructor and a student, was preparing to enter the circuit for training maneuvers. After completing necessary power checks at the runway 17 holding point, the instructor received takeoff clearance from Air Traffic Control.
As the aircraft was executing a right turn to line up on the runway, the right main gear tyre suddenly burst. This failure caused the aircraft to tilt toward the right side. The instructor immediately notified the tower of the situation, prompting the dispatch of emergency services. There were no injuries to the occupants, and the aircraft was subsequently cleared from the runway.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the circumstances surrounding the tyre failure and the aircraft's maintenance history. The investigation noted that the most recent mandatory periodical inspection (MPI) for the aircraft had been performed on 17 August 2007, at 16,546.0 flying hours. At the time of the incident, the aircraft had flown an additional 93.27 hours since that inspection. The damage sustained by the aircraft was localized to the right-hand main gear tyre.
Findings
- The incident occurred during a training operation at Grand Central Aerodrome.
- The primary cause of the incident was the bursting of the right-hand tyre while the aircraft was attempting to line up on the runway for departure.