What happened
On the afternoon of 22 September 2021, a private flight was underway from a landing strip in Jan Kempdorp, Northern Cape, toward New Tempe Aerodrome (FATP) in the Free State. The flight, conducted under visual flight rules, lasted roughly one hour. Upon arrival at FATP, the pilot attempted to land on Runway 01, benefiting from light winds. While the approach was initially considered standard with no significant crosswind, the aircraft experienced a hard touchdown. This impact caused the pilot to lose directional control, leading the VDM L2-1A, registration ZU-JAK, to veer left of the runway. The aircraft subsequently entered a ground loop, striking the ground with its right wingtip before the nose made contact.
The investigation
The investigation, which relied on information provided by the pilot and relevant parties, examined the circumstances surrounding the landing at New Tempe Aerodrome. The inquiry established that the aircraft, which had a total of 223 flying hours, sustained substantial damage to the airframe, specifically affecting the leading and trailing edges of the wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical issues or malfunctions prior to the accident that would have prevented a normal landing. No injuries were reported following the event.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a hard touchdown during the landing phase.
- The impact of the landing resulted in the loss of directional control.
- The sequence of events led to a ground loop and subsequent impact with the ground.