What happened
On 12 March 1999, a PA28-180 aircraft, registered as ZS-FZI, was conducting a private flight from Wonderboom Airport toward a private landing strip located on a farm in the Witbank district. The flight was intended to terminate at a farm near Hendrina.
During the landing phase, the aircraft experienced an unusual touchdown sequence. While the pilot initially noted that the landing appeared normal, the nose gear made contact with the ground almost immediately after the main wheels. This impact caused the aircraft to become airborne once more, leading to a loss of control. The aircraft subsequently veered off the runway path and struck a field of maize (mealies) to the left of the landing strip. There were no injuries reported following the incident.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the flight details and the pilot's account of the landing. The investigation focused on the sequence of the landing roll and the physical movement of the aircraft following the initial contact with the runway. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident were reported as clear, with no significant wind or cloud cover affecting visibility or flight stability.
Findings
- The aircraft's nose gear struck the runway surface very shortly after the main wheels had made contact.
- The impact of the nose gear caused the aircraft to lift off the ground again.
- The pilot was unable to maintain directional control following this secondary lift-off, resulting in the aircraft exiting the runway into adjacent crops.