Jabiru SP veers off runway after landing gear failure at Grand Central Aerodrome (ZU-CNI)

Occurrence Overview On the morning of 9 August 2024, a Jabiru SP aircraft registered ZU-CNI departed Grand Central Aerodrome (FAGC) in Gauteng for a private visual flight. The aircraft returned to FAGC and touched down on Runway 35. During the landing roll, the aircraft yawed from left to right, and the left main landing gear strut collapsed, causing the aircraft to veer off to the left of the runway. The pilot was not injured, and the aircraft sustained minor damage. ## Aircraft and Maintenance The aircraft was a Shadow Lite CC Jabiru SP, serial number 502, with 1,053.1 total airframe hours. The last annual inspection was certified on 25 April 2024 at 1,038.7 hours, and the aircraft had been flown 14.4 hours since that inspection. The aircraft had a valid Authority to Fly and Certificate of Registration. The Jabiru SP model has been discontinued. The aircraft had been involved in a previous accident on 14 June 2010. ## Investigation Findings A follow-up inspection found that the left main landing gear outer support bracket, part number 6002094-8, had fractured during landing, causing the left leaf spring landing gear strut to fold backwards. The fracture surface showed indications of fatigue, including beach-marks and mechanical smearing, suggesting the fracture existed for some time. The extent of mechanical wear at the leaf spring/bracket interface suggested a high number of take-offs and landings, possible incorrect torque of the bracket bolts, and exposure to high loads during operation. ## Probable Cause The left main gear leaf spring strut folded backwards during the landing roll when the outer support gear strut bracket failed due to fatigue. This caused the aircraft to veer off to the left of the runway. No contributing factors were identified. ## Safety Recommendation The report recommended that the Director of Civil Aviation issue a Mandatory Advisory Notice calling for the replacement of all old main gear leaf spring strut outer brackets on the Jabiru SP series of aircraft with a newer version that requires thicker bolts to secure the brackets.