Cessna U206 Accident at Knysna Highway Aerodrome (ZS-PFS)

Accident Overview and Aircraft Details On 25 February 2026, a Cessna U206 aircraft, registration ZS-PFS, was involved in an accident at Knysna Highway Aerodrome in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The aircraft, which had a serial number of U206-0323 and 12,218.6 total airframe hours, sustained substantial damage to its nose landing gear, propeller, wings, and empennage. The accident occurred during daylight at 0747Z, with the aircraft coming to rest inverted on Runway 13. ## Flight Operations and Sequence of Events The pilot, a 53-year-old male holding a Commercial Pilot Licence, departed from Denneoord Aerial Fire Base near George at 0730Z on a positioning flight under Part 137 of the Civil Aviation Regulations. The flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions to collect an incident commander. This was the pilot's first landing at the unlicensed Knysna Highway Aerodrome, which features a single 606-metre grass runway. During the final approach for Runway 13, the aircraft descended below the optimal glide path. The pilot reported that the wing flaps were full down and the airspeed was decaying. The aircraft touched down on a dirt road approximately 18 metres short of the runway threshold. Upon initial ground contact, the main wheels struck an embankment, causing the aircraft to bounce and land in a nose-down attitude. On the second ground contact, the nose wheel fork broke off, and the nose gear strut dug into the soft soil, resulting in the aircraft nosing over. ## Findings and Probable Cause The investigation found that the pilot was unfamiliar with the aerodrome and had planned to land at the threshold due to the runway's short length. The pilot did not perform a go-around at any stage during the approach. The probable cause was determined to be the pilot flying an unstable approach, leading to the aircraft touching down short of the runway and subsequently nosing over after striking an embankment. Contributing factors included the pilot's lack of familiarity with the aerodrome and the decision not to execute a go-around. The pilot was transported to a hospital in Knysna for medical supervision but was not reported to have sustained injuries.