What happened
On the morning of 29 April 2024, a private flight departed from Groutville Airfield, near Ballito, destined for Vryheid Airfield (FAVY) in KwaZulu-Natal. The aircraft, a Cheetah XLS Bushcat with registration ZU-ITV, was operating under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) in accordance with Part 94 regulations.
After a routine takeoff and a climb to 7,500 feet, the pilot proceeded to the destination. Upon arrival at the grass-covered Runway 19, the pilot noted a light right crosswind of approximately 3 knots. During the landing sequence, the pilot deployed two notches of flaps and maintained a stable approach. However, following touchdown, the aircraft veered toward the left. Despite the pilot's attempts to correct the heading using right rudder, the aircraft drifted off the runway and came to a stop outside the designated landing area. The pilot was uninjured during the event.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the circumstances surrounding the excursion and the condition of the aircraft. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy and had undergone a valid inspection prior to the flight. Meteorological data from the South African Weather Service indicated that the wind conditions were well within the operational limits of the aircraft, which has a maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity of 27 knots.
Post-accident inspection of ZU-ITV revealed that the left main gear strut had sustained a bend. There were no signs of flat spots on the main landing gear tires, and the pilot reported no abnormalities during the pre-flight inspection.