What happened
On 10 April 2023, a private flight departing from Worcester Aerodrome (FAWC) was interrupted by an accident during the landing phase at a private farm in Piketburg, Western Cape. The aircraft, an Ekolot JK-05-Junior with registration ZU-FCB, was carrying a pilot and one passenger under visual meteorological conditions.
Upon approaching the landing strip, the pilot observed a crosswind from the left. Due to the aircraft's high approach speed, the pilot initiated a go-around. During the subsequent landing attempt, the aircraft bounced twice before making a heavy impact. The force of the landing caused the nose gear to collapse, leading the propeller to strike the ground. While the aircraft suffered substantial damage, there were 0 fatalities and no injuries to the occupants.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the flight parameters and environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was operating under Part 94 regulations and that the pilot held a valid National Pilot Licence. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's maintenance history, noting the airframe had flown 43 hours since its last annual inspection.
Investigators analyzed the wind conditions, noting that while the initial approach involved a crosswind, the wind direction shifted significantly. By the time of the second touchdown, the wind was blowing from the west at approximately 10 knots, creating a tailwind component of 8.43 knots on Runway 35.
Findings
- The aircraft was approaching the runway at an excessive speed due to the presence of a tailwind.
- The pilot experienced a sudden change in wind direction during the second landing attempt.
- The landing sequence involved two bounces followed by a heavy impact on the nose gear.
- The primary cause of the accident was the hard landing resulting from the tailwind and improper landing technique.