Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk Runway Excursion at Cape Town International Airport (ZS-PIB)

Occurrence Overview On 19 June 2024, a Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk with registration ZS-PIB was involved in an accident at Cape Town International Airport (FACT) in the Western Cape Province. The aircraft was operating under Part 141 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011 as amended, conducting a solo navigational training flight. ## Flight Details The student pilot departed FACT at approximately 1214Z and proceeded to Springbok (FASB) Airfield in the Northern Cape Province. After completing an uneventful touch-and-go landing at FASB, the pilot returned to FACT. Upon arrival at approximately 1410Z, the pilot was cleared to land on Runway 19. ## Accident Sequence During the landing roll, the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft, which veered off to the left of the runway. The pilot attempted to recover by applying right rudder but was unsuccessful. The aircraft exited the runway and rolled onto the grass area, where the nose gear strut collapsed. The aircraft came to rest approximately 7 metres from the edge of the runway. ## Damage and Injuries The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the nose gear strut, propeller blades, lower engine cowling, and right-wing tip. The student pilot was not injured but was taken to the hospital for medical observations. ## Weather Conditions Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) by day prevailed at the time of the flight. The weather report recorded for FACT at 1400Z indicated a wind direction of 320V190 at 05 kt, visibility of 10 km, temperature of 17°C, and a QNH of 1022 hPa. The crosswind component was calculated to be 3.83 knots from the right, well below the aircraft's maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity of 15 knots. ## Aircraft and Pilot Information The aircraft, a Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk with serial number 38-79A0322, had a total of 176.4 hours. The student pilot held a valid Student Pilot Licence (SPL) and a Class 2 aviation medical certificate. The pilot had a total of 129.2 hours, with 87.3 hours on type. ## Findings The investigation found that the student pilot was adequately licensed and experienced to conduct the flight. The aircraft had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness and Certificate of Registration. The last mandatory periodic inspection was certified on 28 May 2024. The approved training organisation did not discontinue the student pilot's training as per Part 61.02.7 of the CAR. ## Probable Cause The probable cause of the accident was the loss of directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in the aircraft veering off to the left of the runway. No contributing factors were identified.