What happened
On 15 February 2022, a student pilot was conducting a solo consolidation flight at Wonderboom Airport (FAWB) in Gauteng Province. The flight, operating under Part 1/41 regulations, began following an earlier training session with an instructor. After successfully completing two circuits, the pilot attempted a third landing on Runway 11.
During the landing phase, the Cessna 172M, registration ZS-SNS, experienced a phenomenon known as ballooning. The pilot's attempt to manage the descent resulted in the aircraft hitting the runway with the nose gear first. This impact caused the aircraft to bounce, prompting the pilot to initiate an immediate go-around by applying full power. The pilot successfully completed a fourth circuit and landed safely on Runway 11, eventually vacating the runway to Taxiway Charlie.
Despite the safe conclusion to the flight, the aircraft sustained substantial damage, specifically to the nose landing gear, the firewall, and the tips of both propeller blades.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft's records and the circumstances of the flight established several key points:
- The pilot held a valid Student Pilot Licence with the appropriate aircraft type endorsement and a current medical certificate.
- The aircraft's mandatory periodic inspection (MPI) was up to date, having been performed in January 2022.
- The Certificate of Airworthiness for the aircraft was valid at the time of the occurrence.
- Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident were clear, with visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and light winds.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the aircraft became unstable during the approach to landing.
- The aircraft experienced ballooning during the landing flare, which led to a hard impact on the nose gear.