What happened
On the morning of 23 August 2024, a student pilot was preparing for a solo navigational training flight departing from Rhino Park Airfield in Gauteng. The intended route included visits to Witbank Aerodrome and Secunda Airfield. The flight was being conducted under visual meteorological conditions as part of a Part 141 training program.
As the pilot began the take-off roll on Runway 09 in the Jabiru J230, registration ZU-SEL, the aircraft encountered a significant left-hand crosswind. As the aircraft reached a ground speed of 50 knots and began to rotate, it drifted toward the left. Despite the pilot's attempts to correct the deviation using right rudder, the aircraft continued to veer off the paved surface. The nose wheel struck the concrete edge of the taxiway, causing the nose landing gear strut to collapse and the propeller to strike the ground. The aircraft eventually came to a stop approximately 30 metres from the runway edge. There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the nose gear, propeller spinner, and blades.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the environmental conditions and the pilot's training history. Calculations determined the crosswind component was approximately 11 knots, which was within the aircraft's maximum demonstrated limit of 14 knots. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's flight logs, noting that while the pilot held a Student Pilot Licence, they had accumulated 70 total flying hours without yet obtaining a Private Pilot Licence. The investigators noted that the pilot's progression appeared unsatisfactory, as a solo flight recommendation is typically expected much earlier in the training process.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the loss of control due to a crosswind, which forced the aircraft off the runway.
- The pilot failed to adequately manage the crosswind by not applying sufficient rudder and full aileron input to maintain directional stability.
- The student pilot's lack of experience in managing crosswind conditions contributed to the inability to counteract the leftward drift.
- The pilot's flight hours indicated a lack of satisfactory progression in training, as they had significantly exceeded the typical timeframe for solo flight recommendations.