Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee Ground Contact During Solo Training at Wonderboom Aerodrome (ZS-CZU)

Occurrence Overview On the morning of 22 June 2024, a Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee with registration ZS-CZU was conducting a Part 141 training flight at Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB) in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The flight involved a Grade 2 flight instructor and a student pilot, with the operation intended to remain at the same aerodrome. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the day. ## Flight Sequence The student pilot first completed four circuit-and-landing exercises under the supervision of the flight instructor. After the fourth circuit, the student landed and taxied to the apron. The instructor then disembarked, allowing the student to conduct an initial solo flight. The student took off from Runway 29, completed a circuit, and made a normal landing. During the landing roll, however, the student pilot made a premature right turn to vacate the active runway onto Taxiway C while the aircraft was still moving at high speed. ## Damage and Injuries The high-speed right turn caused the aircraft to bank to the right, resulting in the right wingtip contacting the ground and the propeller striking the ground. The aircraft sustained minor damage, including scratches to the right wingtip and damage to the propeller blade. The student pilot was not injured, and there were no fatalities or ground injuries. ## Aircraft and Personnel Details The aircraft was a Piper Aircraft PA-28-180, serial number 28-971, with a total airframe time of 3,804.28 hours. The student pilot held a Student Pilot Licence issued by the South African Civil Aviation Authority on 22 August 2023, with an expiry date of 21 August 2024. She had 33 total hours on type and held a valid Class 2 aviation medical certificate. The aircraft had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness, and no defects were recorded in the flight folio at the time of the occurrence. The training school held a valid Approved Training Organisation certificate.