What happened
On the morning of 9 July 2022, a flight instructor and a passenger departed Worcester Aerodrome (FAWC) in a Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee, registration ZS-FMO, for a training flight. The flight, conducted under Part 1er41 regulations, initially proceeded under favorable weather conditions. However, while operating in the general flying area, a sudden frontal system moved in from the northwest, significantly increasing wind speeds and altering wind direction.
As the aircraft returned to the aerodrome, the pilot attempted a landing on Runway 15. Despite the changing conditions, the pilot had already committed to the approach. During the final stages of the landing, the chief flight instructor, observing from the clubhouse, broadcasted a repeated request over the radio for the pilot to perform a go-around. The pilot did not execute the maneuver, intending instead to bring the aircraft to the ground.
The aircraft touched down late on the runway, approximately 1,300m past the threshold. Due to the high wind speeds and the pilot's position in the right-hand seat—where no toe brakes are available—the aircraft could not be stopped within the remaining runway surface. The Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee careered off the runway, through three fences, and into a wetland area. The impact caused the right wing to separate from the fuselage. A post-impact fire broke out, consuming the majority of the wreckage. Both occupants were able to exit the aircraft through the shattered windscreen and sustained no serious injuries, aside from minor scratches to the pilot.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the aircraft's maintenance history, noting it had undergone a maintenance inspection less than 10 hours prior to the accident. The investigation also reviewed local meteorological data, which confirmed that a cold front was moving through the Western Cape, bringing severe mountain waves and turbulence warnings. Local weather station records at the aerodrome indicated wind gusts as high as 39 knots at the time of the accident.
Investigators also noted that parts of the gravel runway surface were waterlogged, and the pilot's seating position limited his ability to use the aircraft's toe brakes during the high-speed excursion.