Student Pilot Nose Gear Collapses During High-Speed Landing at Wonderboom

Casualties unknown • Runway 11 at Wonderboom Aerodrome, Gauteng, ZA

A student pilot's solo training flight ended in substantial aircraft damage after a high-speed approach led to a porpoising effect and nose gear failure.

What happened

On the morning of 30 September 2024, a student pilot was conducting a solo training flight in a Cessna 172E, registration ZS-FPX, departing from Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB) in Gauteng. The flight was being operated under visual meteorological conditions as part of a Part 141 training program.

While returning to the aerodrome to land on Runway 11, the pilot began a descent and configured the aircraft with stage two flaps and carburetor heat. During the transition to final approach, the pilot noticed the aircraft was unable to maintain its altitude. Feeling a sense of panic and fearing engine failure, the pilot declared a MAYDAY to air traffic control.

Although cleared to land, the aircraft's approach was unstable. Upon touchdown, the aircraft experienced a series of bounces, known as porpoising. After six oscillations, the nose landing gear strut collapsed, causing the propeller to strike the runway and bringing the aircraft to a stop in a nose-down position. There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the propeller, engine cowlings, and nose gear.

The investigation

SACAA AIID examined the flight circumstances, the pilot's training history, and the aircraft's maintenance records. The investigation established that the pilot had a valid Student Pilot Licence but had not been flying regularly, with the accident flight being only the eighth logged in 2024.

The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's airworthiness, noting that ZS-FPX had undergone a maintenance inspection less than a month prior to the event and held a valid Certificate of Airworthiness. Meteorological data confirmed that weather conditions were clear and had no impact on the accident.

Findings

  • The pilot's failure to monitor approach speed resulted in the aircraft crossing the runway threshold at approximately 100 kts, significantly higher than the recommended landing speeds.
  • The high-speed touchdown in a flat attitude triggered a porpoising motion.
  • The pilot's anxious state during the emergency contributed to the loss of airspeed control.
  • The pilot's lack of recent flying experience was a contributing factor to the improper landing technique.

Probable cause

The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain appropriate approach speeds, leading to a high-speed touchdown and subsequent porpoising that caused the nose gear to collapse.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2024-09-30 Cessna 172E accident near Runway 11 at Wonderboom Aerodrome, Gauteng, ZA?

A student pilot's solo training flight ended in substantial aircraft damage after a high-speed approach led to a porpoising effect and nose gear failure.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2024-09-30 involved a Cessna 172E, registration ZS-FPX, at Runway 11 at Wonderboom Aerodrome, Gauteng, ZA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain appropriate approach speeds, leading to a high-speed touchdown and subsequent porpoising that caused the nose gear to collapse.

Loading the flight search…