What happened
On 19 July 2022, a private flight involving a Cheetah XLS with registration ZU-FHP resulted in an aircraft accident at Bapsfontein Aerodrome (FABA) in Gauteng. The flight, conducted under visual flight rules, was intended to perform a series of touch-and-go landings at Petit Airfield (FARA) before returning to Bapsfontein.
Upon returning to FABA for a full-stop landing, the pilot attempted a three-point touchdown. During this maneuver, the aircraft's tailwheel struck the runway surface with excessive force. The impact caused the primary spring-loaded tail gear flat bar to snap, leading to an immediate loss of directional control. The aircraft subsequently veered toward the right side of the runway. While the aircraft suffered substantial damage, including a broken right main landing gear axle and rudder damage, both the pilot and passenger escaped without injury.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy, with all maintenance records, including the most recent annual inspection, found to be in order. The pilot was appropriately licensed and qualified for the operation.
Meteorological data indicated that while a tailwind and crosswind component were present, they were within the aircraft's operational limitations and were not a contributing factor to the accident. Investigators also reviewed the manufacturer's training supplements regarding approach speeds and landing techniques for the aircraft type.
Findings
- The pilot's indicated landing speed was approximately 55 mph, which exceeded the recommended approach speed of 45.5 mph (calculated as 1.3 x Vso).
- This excessive speed resulted in a rapid sink rate during the flare, leading to a hard landing and a likely bounce.
- The force of the impact caused the failure of the spring-loaded tail gear flat bar and subsequent loss of directional control.