What happened
On 27 November 2016, a Piper PA-3/2R-301, registration ZS-OHF, was conducting a private flight from Springbok Airport in the Northern Cape toward New Tempe Airport in the Free State. While flying over the destination airfield in daylight, the aircraft suffered a sudden electrical failure.
In response to the loss of power, the pilot initiated the emergency gear extension procedure. However, because the electrical failure had eliminated all cockpit lighting and indications, the pilot was unable to verify if the landing gear was properly down and locked. Despite this uncertainty, the decision was made to proceed with the landing on runway 01.
Upon touchdown, the left-hand main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft's left wing and horizontal stabilizer scraped along the runway for roughly 300 meters. The aircraft then lost directional control and skidded 20 meters to the left before coming to a stop. There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained significant damage to the left wing, aileron, flap, and horizontal stabilizer.
The investigation
The investigation into the incident focused on the cause of the electrical loss and the subsequent gear failure. Investigators confirmed that the pilot held valid licensing and medical certification at the time of the event. The aircraft, which had a total of 8011.8 flying hours, had undergone a mandatory periodic inspection approximately 21 hours prior to the accident.
Findings
The investigation established that the primary cause of the incident was the failure of the left-hand main landing gear to lock following the emergency extension. This failure was directly linked to the total loss of electrical power caused by a failed alternator.