What happened
On the morning of 14 September 2021, a student pilot was performing solo circuit training exercises at Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB) in Gauteng Province. The flight involved a Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee, registration ZS-CZU. Weather conditions at the time were favorable, with a temperature of 27°C and light surface winds of 3 knots.
Following a successful first touch-and-go on Runway 11, the student pilot attempted a second touch-and be-go. During this second maneuver, the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft, causing it to veer toward the left side of the runway. The pilot was able to bring the aircraft to a halt approximately 400 meters from the runway threshold. There were no injuries reported, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed the aircraft's maintenance records and flight history to identify any contributing factors. The examination of the flight folio for ZS-CZU showed no outstanding defects regarding the steering mechanism prior to the incident. Furthermore, no steering-related issues were recorded by either the student pilot or their instructor on the day of the occurrence.
Records indicated that the aircraft had undergone a Mandatory Periodic Inspection (MPI) on 19 August 2021. At the time of the incident, the aircraft had flown 43.15 hours since that inspection. The investigation confirmed that all recent maintenance had been performed by a licensed engineer through an approved maintenance organization.