What happened
On 14 June 2019, a private flight traveling from Wonderboom Aerodrome to Messina Aerodrome ended with an aircraft incident on a taxiway. The pilot and a passenger were operating a UFM-10 Samba, registration ZU-CVT, when the aircraft touched down at FAMH. During the landing roll, the pilot reported that the braking system appeared unresponsive.
Due to the high forward speed of the aircraft, the pilot chose to vacate the active runway and proceed onto a taxiway. While executing a turn onto the taxiway, the nose landing gear failed and broke backward. This structural failure caused the propeller to strike the ground surface, resulting in both propeller blades breaking off. There were no injuries to the two occupants, though the aircraft sustained significant damage.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the pilot's recent flight experience. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft had been maintained by a regulator-approved person and held a valid authority to fly. Notably, post-incident inspections of the braking system revealed no mechanical anomalies or failures in the hydraulic or control components.
Investigators also reviewed the pilot's training and recent activity. The pilot had not flown for approximately seven months prior to this flight. Only twelve days before the incident, the pilot had completed a one-hour conversion flight on this specific aircraft type. The investigation noted a significant difference in braking mechanics between the pilot's primary training aircraft, which used rudder pedals, and the UFM-10 Samba, which utilizes a brake lever on the control stick.
Findings
- The nose landing gear broke while the aircraft was traveling at a high speed during a turn onto the taxiway.
- The pilot's knowledge of the specific aircraft system and its operational limitations was inadequate.
- The pilot's recent flight experience was limited, having only one hour of time on this type following a seven-month hiatus from flying.
- There were no mechanical defects found in the brake system following the incident.
- The pilot may have failed to use the correct braking technique required for this specific aircraft type, potentially leading to the high-speed runway excursion.