What happened
On 28 February 2022, a Savanna S aircraft, registration ZU-S/SVA, was performing a local flight in the Coligny area of the North West province. The flight departed from the Oppaslaagte Farm private airstrip under visual meteorological conditions, with the intention of returning to the same location.
During the landing phase on Runway 15, the aircraft encountered a sudden gust of wind originating from the right side. This wind burst caused the pilot to lose directional control, resulting in the aircraft veering left into a vegetated field. The impact of the landing caused the nose strut to break off and resulted in a propeller blade snapping near the root. The pilot escaped the incident without injury, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined weather data from the South African Weather Service to determine the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. While recorded winds were relatively low, satellite imagery indicated a thunderstorm was moving toward the area. The investigation established that the pilot likely encountered a rapid burst of wind from the outflow boundary of this approaching storm. Although the aircraft's operating handbook specifies a 26-knot crosswind rating, the sudden nature of the gust disrupted the landing stability.
Findings
- The primary cause of the loss of control was an unstable landing approach.
- A sudden wind gust from the north-west, associated with an approaching thunderstorm outflow, contributed to the loss of directional control.
- The resulting hard landing led to the mechanical failure of the nose gear and damage to the propeller.