What happened
On 12 March 2008, a Piper PA28-140, registration ZS-DYY, was conducting a training flight departing from Rand Aerodrome (FAGM). The student pilot had been performing various exercises within the Johannesburg general flying area. While returning to the aerodrome, the aircraft encountered light rain, though visibility remained clear and the pilot did not encounter instrument meteorological conditions.
Upon approaching Rand Aerodrome, the pilot requested landing instructions on the frequency 118.7 MHz and was cleared to land on runway 29. The pilot reported configuring the aircraft with 30 degrees of flaps while maintaining an indicated airspeed of 80 mph. Although the approach was initially stable, the pilot flared the aircraft too high. This resulted in a bounce upon the initial touchdown of the main and nose wheels. In an attempt to recover from the bounce, the pilot reduced power and lowered the nose, but the aircraft subsequently struck the ground on its nose wheel. This caused the aircraft to wheel-barrow, veer toward the right-hand side of the runway, and exit the paved surface, during which time the propeller struck the ground.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the sequence of the landing and the pilot's actions during the touchdown phase. The investigation focused on the transition from the initial bounce to the loss of directional control on the runway surface.