What happened
On the afternoon of 23 August 2025, an Ayres Thrush S2R-T34, registration ZS-NNZ, was conducting aerial firefighting operations in the Mpumalanga province. After departing from Piet Retief Central Airstrip to extinguish a forest fire near Mkhondo, the pilot proceeded to Rusplaas Airstrip to replenish the aircraft's 1,000-liter water hopper.
The landing on the 850-meter grass runway was initially successful. However, while taxiing toward the water filling point, the aircraft's left main wheel struck a hole that had been hidden by grass. The impact caused the left main landing gear to bend outward, leading the left wingtip and the propeller to strike the ground. The aircraft came to a halt in the middle of the runway with substantial damage, though the pilot escaped without injury.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the operational conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy, with a valid Certificate of Airworthiness and all mandatory inspections up to date. The pilot, holding a valid Commercial Pilot Licence, had significant experience on the aircraft type.
Investigators also looked into the condition of the airfield. It was established that the pilot had been informed by ground personnel at Rusplaas Airstrip that the runway had been inspected and was safe for use. The airstrip had been activated earlier that morning.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the left main gear rolling over a grass-concealed hole during taxiing.
- A contributing factor was the pilot's reliance on third-party reports regarding the safety and condition of the runway surface.