What happened
On the morning of 3 July 2021, a Cessna 208B, registration ZS-JEM, departed O.R. Tambo International Airport for the Lapalala private airstrip in Limpopo province. The flight, operated under Part 1-35 commercial regulations, proceeded without incident under instrument flight rules.
Upon arrival at the Lapalala airstrip, the crew began taxiing toward the parking area. During this phase, the pilot monitoring requested a transition to low idle. As the pilot flying attempted to position the aircraft for parking, the crew observed passengers and two vehicles in close proximity to the aircraft's path. In an effort to maintain a safe distance from these bystanders and the parked vehicles, the pilot flying executed a wide left turn. During this maneuver, the right wingtip of the aircraft struck a tree located at the edge of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. There were no injuries to the three crew members on board.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the maneuvers performed during the taxi phase at the Lapalala private airstrip. Investigators examined the positioning of the aircraft relative to the obstacles present in the parking area and the decision-making process used by the crew to avoid contact with ground personnel and vehicles.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the pilot flying misjudged the aircraft's clearance from nearby vegetation during a wide turn.
- The crew's attempt to avoid contact with passengers and vehicles in the parking area led to the maneuver that caused the collision.
- Trees located near the runway edge contributed to the incident.