Piper PA28-180 Cherokee ZS-FTB Hard Landing at Brakpan Aerodrome

Overview and Flight Details On the morning of 26 September 2024, a Piper Aircraft Corporation PA28-180 Cherokee, registration ZS-FTB, serial number 28-24110, departed Brakpan Aerodrome (FABB) in Gauteng Province, South Africa, for a training flight under Part 141 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011. The flight was conducted by a 19-year-old student pilot holding a valid Student Pilot Licence (SPL) and Class 2 medical certificate. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the day. ## Sequence of Events The student pilot reported taking off from Runway 36 and completing three successful touch-and-go circuits. During the fourth circuit, the aircraft approached Runway 36 at approximately 85 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS), which exceeded the recommended approach speed of 65–75 KIAS specified in the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH). The high speed resulted in a hard landing on the main wheels, causing the right main gear to separate from the fuselage and the nose landing gear to collapse. The propeller blades struck the ground, and the aircraft lost directional control, veering off to the right of the runway. It came to rest 51 metres from the runway edge. ## Damage and Injuries The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including separation of the right main landing gear strut and bent propeller blades. The student pilot was not injured, and there were no fatalities or ground casualties. ## Aircraft and Pilot Status At the time of the accident, the aircraft had 18,777.96 total airframe hours. The last annual inspection was certified on 22 August 2024 at 18,729.58 hours, and the Certificate of Release to Service (CRS) was valid until 21 August 2025 or 18,829.58 hours, whichever occurred first. No defects were recorded in the flight folio prior to the accident. The student pilot had 32.3 total hours on type and 17 hours on type in the preceding 90 days. ## Environmental Factors Weather data from the pilot’s questionnaire indicated a wind from 260° at 11 knots, visibility of 9,999 metres, and a QNH of 1023 hPa. Calculations showed a crosswind component of approximately 10.83 knots during landing, which was within the aircraft’s maximum crosswind limit of 15–17 knots. However, the crosswind may have affected the student pilot’s ability to maintain directional control, particularly in combination with the excessive approach speed. ## Findings and Probable Cause The investigation found that the excessive approach speed contributed to the hard landing and subsequent loss of directional control. The student pilot may not have had sufficient experience to manage crosswind landings or adhere to speed limits during approach. The probable cause was the aircraft’s excessive speed during landing, which resulted in a hard touchdown, separation of the right main landing gear, collapse of the nose gear, and loss of directional control. Contributing factors included poor landing technique and failure to reduce speed and effectively manage the approach.