Nose Gear Collapse During Landing at Ingwelala Aerodrome

Casualties unknown • The right side of Runway 01 at Ingwelala Aerodrome, Mpumalanga, ZA

A private flight in an Urban Air Samba XL ended in a runway excursion and substantial aircraft damage after the nose landing gear collapsed during landing in Mpumalanga.

What happened

On 21 February 2024, a private flight departing from Rhino Park Aerodrome in Gauteng was diverted back to Ingwelala Aerodrome in Mpumalanga due to the sudden appearance of a thunderstorm and turbulence near the Blyderiver Canyon. During the return to Ingwelala, the pilot attempted to land on Runway 01. As the nose wheel made contact with the runway, the aircraft veered to the right and exited the paved surface, striking a sandbank located at the edge of the runway. The impact caused the nose landing gear to collapse and the propeller to strike the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the Urban Air Samba XL, registration ZU-DKL. The two occupants of the aircraft escaped without injury.

The investigation

SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft and the aerodrome environment following the accident. While the pilot initially reported a loss of rudder control during the final approach, post-accident inspections of the flight control systems, including the rudder cables and pedals, showed no evidence of mechanical failure or disconnected cables. The investigation also noted that the aircraft had a history of a nose gear failure during a 2009 accident, and the repair work performed on the nose gear strut assembly at that time showed signs of poor workmanship. Additionally, the investigators assessed the condition of the runway edge, noting that the clearway area was not adequately maintained and contained a hand-built sandbank used for drainage.

Findings

  • The pilot was unable to maintain directional control of the aircraft as it transitioned from the runway to the unpaved shoulder.
  • The passenger, a non-aviator and nervous flyer, may have inadvertently interfered with the flight controls by depressing the rudder pedals during the approach.
  • The poor maintenance of the runway clearway, specifically the presence of an unmaintained sandbank, contributed to the severity of the excursion.
  • The aircraft's nose landing gear was subject to a previous structural failure and subsequent substandard repair work.

Probable cause

The pilot lost directional control of the aircraft during the landing roll, leading to a runway excursion and the subsequent collapse of the nose landing gear.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2024-02-21 Urban Air S.R.O., Samba XL accident near The right side of Runway 01 at Ingwelala Aerodrome, Mpumalanga, ZA?

A private flight in an Urban Air Samba XL ended in a runway excursion and substantial aircraft damage after the nose landing gear collapsed during landing in Mpumalanga.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2024-02-21 involved a Urban Air S.R.O., Samba XL, registration ZU-DKL, at The right side of Runway 01 at Ingwelala Aerodrome, Mpumalanga, ZA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot lost directional control of the aircraft during the landing roll, leading to a runway excursion and the subsequent collapse of the nose landing gear.

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