What happened
On 21 December 1997, a Piper PA 24-260 Comanche, registered as ZS-ZAI, was operating a flight from Ingwala to Baragwanath (FASY) carrying two occupants. The flight was a private operation involving the pilot-owner and one passenger.
As the aircraft approached Baragwanath, the pilot performed the required landing checks. The aircraft subsequently touched down on runway 13. However, as the nose gear made contact with the runway surface, the undercarriage collapsed. There were no injuries and no fatalities resulting from the incident.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the gear failure and the pilot's pre-landing procedures. The investigation looked into the functionality of the aircraft's warning systems and the state of the landing gear prior to touchdown. The pilot maintained that a green light indication was visible before landing and noted that the landing gear up warning buzzer failed to activate during the approach.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the undercarriage was not lowered before the aircraft reached the runway.
- The nose gear collapsed immediately upon contact with the runway surface.