Introduction
On 26 July 2021, a Cessna 172M Skyhawk II aircraft, registration ZS-MDF, was involved in an accident during a training flight at Wintervogel Airfield in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, but the two occupants—a flight instructor and a student pilot—were not injured.
Flight Details
The training flight, conducted under Part 141, departed from Morning Star Airfield in Cape Town with the intended destination of Wintervogel Airfield. The flight instructor acted as pilot monitoring, while the student pilot was pilot flying. Weather conditions were reported as good with wind estimated at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots, from 350 degrees. The crosswind limitation for the Cessna 172 per the Pilot’s Operating Handbook is 17 knots.
Accident Description
During the approach for landing on Runway 02, the student pilot configured the aircraft with flaps lowered to 20 degrees. Before touchdown, a left crosswind caused the student pilot to lose directional control. The aircraft drifted to the right of the runway centerline and landed hard on wet grass. During the landing roll, the nose gear strut collapsed and the propeller struck the ground. The aircraft came to rest on the grass area adjacent to the runway.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft suffered substantial damage, including collapse of the nose gear and propeller strike. No injuries were sustained by either the instructor or the student pilot.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The South African Civil Aviation Authority’s Accident and Incident Investigations Division compiled a limited accident report based on information submitted by the pilot. The probable cause stated in the report: "The aircraft was unstable during approach for landing, resulting in a hard landing where after the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft as it veered off to the right-side of the runway during which the nose gear broke before the aircraft came to a stop."