What happened
On 24 February 2022, a Mooney M20F aircraft, registration ZS-EUC, departed from Lake Naverone Airfield in KwaZulu-Natal for a flight to Hoedspruit Airfield. The flight was being conducted under private operations.
During the takeoff roll on Runway 09, the pilot noted that acceleration was slower than usual, likely due to the runway being waterlogged. As the aircraft reached a rotation speed of 66 knots, a small bump on the runway surface caused the aircraft to become airborne earlier than intended. This sudden lift-off resulted in a high pitch attitude. While the pilot attempted to correct the aircraft's position, the plane veered to the left of the runway centerline.
The aircraft subsequently struck a barbed wire fence, causing the right main landing gear to collapse and the right wing to become entangled in the wire. The aircraft eventually came to a stop in a bushy area near a ditch. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the propeller blades, the nose section, and the leading edge of the left wing.
The investigation
An investigation by the SACAA AIID established that the aircraft was well within its maximum takeoff weight and that all mechanical systems, including flight controls and engine parameters, were functioning correctly prior to the incident. The investigation also confirmed that the aircraft had undergone a periodic maintenance inspection approximately 26 hours prior to the accident. Meteorological conditions were clear, and the investigation focused on the pilot's handling of the aircraft during the critical takeoff phase.
Findings
- The pilot lost directional control of the aircraft after it veered left of the runway.
- The aircraft's nose-high attitude was not adequately compensated for, leading to a premature airborne state and a subsequent stall.
- The waterlogged condition of the runway contributed to slower-than-normal acceleration during the takeoff roll.