What happened
On the morning of 3 September 2025, a training flight conducted under Part 141 regulations resulted in an aircraft excursion at Lanseria International Airport. The flight involved a Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, registration ZS-FHH, operated by a student pilot.
The flight began with an instructor on board for several successful touch-and-go landings. Following these exercises, the instructor disembarked, leaving the student pilot to continue solo training. While performing the circuit pattern, the student pilot followed instructions from air traffic control, managing flaps and airspeed as part of the standard approach procedure.
Upon completing the final approach and touching down on Runway 07, the aircraft began to drift toward the left side of the runway centerline. Despite the pilot's attempts to correct the deviation using right rudder, the aircraft continued to veer left. The aircraft eventually exited the paved surface, causing the nose landing gear strut to collapse and the propeller to strike the ground. The aircraft came to rest in a grass area approximately 15 meters from the runway edge. There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the circumstances surrounding the landing and the operational status of the aircraft and pilot. The investigation confirmed that the student pilot held a valid Student Pilot Licence and a current Class 2 medical certificate. The aircraft, ZS-FHH, was being maintained by a certified organization, and all necessary airworthiness and registration documents were up to date. The investigation also noted that the weather conditions were clear with high visibility (CAVOK) at the time of the occurrence.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the aircraft became unstable during the final approach, which led to a loss of directional control during the landing roll.
- A contributing factor to the loss of control was the lack of experience of the student pilot.