What Happened
On Friday, 15 September 2023, a student pilot on-board a Sling 2 aircraft with registration ZU-JAR took off on a solo consolidation training flight from Pietermaritzburg Aerodrome in KwaZulu-Natal province. The intended operation was to conduct touch-and-go landings on Runway (RWY) 16. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) by day prevailed at the time of the flight, which was conducted under Part 141 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011 as amended.
The student pilot reported that on the base leg, the air traffic control officer (ATCO) instructed her to report long final approach for RWY 16, as there was traffic backtracking on the runway. She then reduced the engine power to 4000 revolutions per minute (rpm) instead of 3500 rpm so that the aircraft’s descent rate would not be excessive. This resulted in the aircraft’s speed being high on short final approach; subsequently, the aircraft landed hard before it bounced three times. As a result, the sun visor unfolded (dropped) and obstructed the student pilot’s view. The aircraft veered off to the right of the centreline. The student pilot applied excessive left rudder to re-align the aircraft but lost directional control, and the aircraft veered off to the left of the runway before it stopped on the grass area. The student pilot switched off the master switch and disembarked from the aircraft; she was uninjured. She then waited for the fire and rescue services personnel.
The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller blades (which struck the runway surface during the landing phase), cowling, nose gear, rudder pedal bar, fire wall, and the engine mount.
Findings
The student pilot held a valid Student Pilot Licence, issued on 12 April 2022 with an expiry date of 22 May 2024. She had flown a total of 24.5 hours under instruction and 0.3 hours as pilot-in-command on the aircraft type, according to the pilot’s logbook. She also held a Class 2 aviation medical certificate issued on 28 January 2022, expiring 31 January 2027, with no limitations.
The aircraft, a Sling 2 (Serial Number 156), had a last 100-hour annual inspection certified on 5 September 2023 at 602.3 airframe hours, with an additional 35.2 hours flown since. It had a valid Authority to Fly certificate re-issued on 24 July 2023, expiring 31 August 2024. The Certificate of Registration was issued to the present owner on 17 March 2023. A Certificate of Release to Service was issued on 5 September 2023, valid until 4 September 2024 or 702.3 airframe hours, whichever occurs first.
The aircraft was too high on final approach and the student pilot flared the aircraft too high before it bounced a few times. This was followed by loss of directional control.
Meteorological information for FAPM at 1530Z on 15 September 2023 indicated wind direction 120° at 6 knots, visibility 10000 m, temperature 29°C, CAVOK cloud cover, dew point 08°C, and QNH 1006. The weather did not contribute to this accident.
Conclusion
The aircraft’s speed was too high on final approach, and the initiated flare was too high. This resulted in a hard landing, followed by a few bounces before the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft, which veered off to the left of the runway.
Probable Cause
An unstable approach and a flare that was initiated too high resulted in a hard landing and multiple bounces, which were followed by loss of directional control of the aircraft.