What happened
On 27 August 2025, a student pilot was conducting a solo navigational training flight in a Piper Cherokee PA-28-140, registration ZS-EKI. The flight originated from Brakpan Airfield (FABB) with a planned route including Secunda Airfield (FASC) and Witbank Aerodrome (FAWI) before returning to the departure point.
While performing a touch-and-go landing at FASC, the aircraft was flying under visual meteorological conditions. As the pilot crossed the runway threshold at approximately 80 mph with two notches of flaps, a sudden shift in wind direction created a tailwind component. This wind change caused the aircraft to float along the runway, resulting in a touchdown approximately two-thirds of the way down the runway length.
Following the late touchdown, the pilot applied full power to continue the touch-and-go maneuver. However, the aircraft failed to establish a positive rate of climb. The Piper Cherokee PA-28-140 struck the airfield's perimeter fence on the eastern boundary before impacting the ground heavily. The impact caused the landing gear to detach from the fuselage, and the aircraft slid along a roadway before coming to a stop. The pilot sustained serious head injuries, and the aircraft suffered substantial damage.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the flight conditions, aircraft maintenance records, and pilot credentials. The investigation confirmed that the student pilot was properly licensed, medically fit, and authorized for the solo flight. The aircraft, operated by an approved training organization, was found to be airworthy with no noted mechanical defects and a valid maintenance schedule.
Investigators reviewed weather data from nearby aerodromes, which confirmed that while general conditions were stable, a tailwind was indeed present on Runway 11 at the time of the accident. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's performance specifications regarding the impact of tailwinds on takeoff distance and climb gradients.
Findings
- A sudden shift to a tailwind component during the approach caused the aircraft to float, leading to a late touchdown.
- The late touchdown significantly reduced the remaining usable runway length.
- Insufficient runway remaining prevented the aircraft from achieving a positive rate of climb after the application of full power.
- The tailwind component further degraded the aircraft's ability to clear obstacles during the attempted takeoff.