What happened
On the morning of 26 September 2024, a student pilot was conducting a training flight at Brakpan Aerodrome in Gauteng Province. The flight, operated under Part 141 regulations, involved a Piper PA28-180 Cherokee with registration ZS-FTB. After successfully completing three touch-and-go landings on Runway 36, the pilot attempted a fourth circuit.
During this final approach, the aircraft was traveling at approximately 85 knots, which exceeded the recommended approach speed. This high velocity resulted in a heavy touchdown on the main wheels. The impact caused the right main landing gear to detach from the fuselage, subsequently leading to the collapse of the nose gear and the propeller striking the ground. The aircraft lost directional control and veered off the runway, coming to a rest 51 metres from the edge. There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft suffered substantial damage.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the flight conditions, aircraft maintenance records, and the pilot's credentials. The investigation confirmed that the student pilot held a valid Student Pilot Licence and a current medical certificate. The aircraft, ZS-FTB, had undergone its last annual inspection in August 2024 and had no recorded defects in its flight folio prior to the event.
Meteorological data indicated a crosswind component of approximately 10.83 knots from the left. While this wind speed was within the operational limits of the Piper PA28-180 Cherokee, investigators looked at how the environmental conditions interacted with the aircraft's speed during the landing phase.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the excessive airspeed during the landing approach, which induced a hard landing.
- The impact of the hard landing caused the separation of the right main gear and the collapse of the nose gear.
- The student pilot may have lacked sufficient experience to effectively manage the approach speed and maintain directional control amidst the crosswind component.
- The combination of high approach speed and the left-side crosswind contributed to the loss of control and the subsequent excursion from the runway.