What happened
On 24 January 2022, a Jabiru J4CT with registration ZU-DFP was performing circuit flights and touch-and-go maneuvers at Krugersdorp Airport (FAKR) in Gauteng. The flight was being conducted as a performance test for a passenger who had recently purchased the aircraft.
During the fourth approach on Runway 08, the aircraft touched down with a tailwind at approximately 50 knots. Following touchdown, the pilot attempted to use the brakes, but the aircraft failed to decelerate. The pilot noted that the engine RPM remained higher than expected despite attempts to retard the throttle. In an effort to prevent the aircraft from overshooting the runway end, the pilot applied right rudder, which led the aircraft into an adjacent open field where it overturned. The two occupants escaped the accident without injury, though the aircraft suffered substantial damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the landing parameters and the aircraft's mechanical state following the incident. Data indicated that the aircraft touched down approximately 384 meters from the threshold of Runway 08. Given that the required landing distance for this aircraft type is 520 meters, the aircraft lacked the necessary runway length to come to a safe stop.
Regarding the reported engine issues, the aircraft was transported to the Jabiru factory for inspection by maintenance personnel. This inspection found no faults with the throttle mechanism. Records also showed that the aircraft had undergone a maintenance inspection in December 2021, and this flight was its first since that service.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced an unstable approach that resulted in a touchdown with a tailwind.
- The landing position was too far down the runway, leaving insufficient distance to stop before the threshold of the intersecting runway.
- The pilot's attempt to steer the aircraft away from the runway end via rudder input contributed to the excursion into the field.