What happened
On the afternoon of 23 April 2023, a Cessna 172P Skyhawk, registration ZS-KVW, was conducting a Part 141 training flight from Lanseria International Airport (FALA) in Gauteng. The flight, which included a flight instructor and a student pilot, was performing standard maneuvers in the general flying area before returning for landing.
During the approach to Runway 2 and the subsequent landing, the flight instructor took control of the aircraft to demonstrate the landing technique to the student. As the aircraft descended to approximately 10 feet above the ground at 60 kts with flaps set to the second stage, it experienced a sudden, sharp drift to the left. The instructor attempted to correct the deviation by applying full right rudder to align with the runway centerline for a potential go-around; however, the aircraft had already drifted off the active runway edge.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft veered left and encountered a downslope adjacent to the runway. The pilot applied full back pressure to protect the nose gear, but the momentum caused the aircraft to nose over, ultimately coming to rest in an inverted position. Emergency services and the airport's rescue team responded to the scene, where they found the aircraft had sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts, firewall, propeller, and wing edges.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the circumstances surrounding the loss of control. The investigation confirmed that the flight instructor was properly licensed and medically fit, and the student pilot had approximately six hours of total flight time. The aircraft's maintenance records showed a recent mandatory periodic inspection completed in early April 2023, and the plane held a valid Certificate of Airworthiness.
Investigators reviewed the weather conditions, noting that while the instructor initially reported a sudden drift, official weather data from the South African Weather Service did not indicate any strong gusts that would have caused such a deviation, especially given that the aircraft is certified for crosswinds up to 15 kts. The investigation also noted that the aircraft was unstable on approach and failed to maintain the runway centerline.