What happened
On the morning of 29 May 1999, a Cessna 170B, registration ZS-DKO, departed from a private airstrip located near Bapsfontein, South Africa. The flight, which was being conducted for private purposes, carried a pilot and one passenger toward a destination in Vanderbijlpark.
Upon reaching the Vanderbijlpark area, the pilot performed a low pass over the aerodrome to assess the prevailing wind conditions and identify an appropriate runway for landing. While the pilot initially identified runway 29 as the preferred option, that runway was unavailable due to being closed. After communicating with an aircraft already on the ground, the pilot was directed to use runway 36.
During the final approach to runway 36, the pilot encountered significant crosswinds originating from the left. To compensate for this, the approach was executed with the left wing lowered and right rudder input applied. Although the initial touchdown appeared to be standard, the aircraft's speed decreased to a point where the pilot could no longer maintain the centerline. In an attempt to correct the leftward veer, the pilot applied the right brake. This maneuver caused the left wing and the tail to lift, resulting in the aircraft flipping over.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the landing phase and the environmental factors present at the time of the accident. Investigators examined the pilot's maneuvers during the crosswind approach and the subsequent application of braking during the landing roll. The investigation confirmed that the weather conditions were fine at the time of the occurrence.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating under private flight conditions with a pilot holding a valid PPL.
- A strong crosswind from the left side was present during the approach to runway 36.
- The pilot lost directional control of the aircraft after touchdown.
- The application of differential braking to correct a leftward veer led to the lifting of the wing and tail, causing the aircraft to overturn.