What happened
On 18 October 2009, a student pilot was conducting a solo navigational flight in a Piper Cherokee PA28-180, registration ZS-FHG. The flight originated from Bulembu Aerodrome in Bisho, with a planned route including Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown. The pilot intended to perform a single touch-and-go at Grahamstown Aerodrome.
Upon arriving at the unmanned aerodrome, the pilot utilized the standard joining procedure and elected to use Runway 22, following the prevailing wind. While executing a normal approach, the aircraft bounced during the initial touchdown and became airborne again. In an attempt to stabilize the aircraft and regain airspeed, the pilot applied forward pressure on the controls. This resulted in a second bounce, during which the tail of the aircraft scraped the runway. The subsequent nose-down pitch caused the nosewheel to strike the ground and deflate. The propeller then made contact with the surface. As the aircraft reached the intersection of runways 16/34 and 22/04, the nosewheel detached from the airframe, and the aircraft came to a halt. There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the circumstances of the incident, including the pilot's credentials, the aircraft's maintenance history, and the prevailing meteorological conditions. The investigation confirmed that the student pilot held a valid license and medical certificate, and that the aircraft was in a serviceable condition with no recorded mechanical defects. Weather conditions at the time were reported as CAVOK with a light 10-knot wind, and were not considered contributing factors.
Findings
- The aircraft was properly maintained, with the last mandatory periodic inspection completed in September 2009.
- The incident was not caused by mechanical failure or adverse weather.
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure to recover from the initial touchdown bounce, which led to a porpoising effect.
- The pilot applied excessive forward control pressure instead of executing a go-around or applying power to cushion the subsequent touchdown.