What happened
On March 5, 2000, a Cessna C172N, registered ZS-NUB, was involved in an accident at Lanseria Airport. The aircraft was conducting a private flight, departing from and intending to return to Lanseria. During the landing sequence on Runway 06R, the aircraft experienced a slight bounce and began drifting toward the left side of the runway.
In an attempt to prevent the aircraft from drifting across toward Runway 06L, the pilot initiated a go-around procedure. During this maneuver, the aircraft entered a stall and crashed onto the grass area situated between Runway 06R and Runway 06L. There were four people on board the aircraft at the time of the incident. While there were no fatalities, the pilot and one passenger sustained injuries and were transported to Sunninghill Hospital for medical treatment.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of events leading to the loss of control. The meteorological conditions at the time of the accident were favorable, with clear weather, a temperature of +17°C, and a light westerly wind of 5 knots. The investigation focused on the pilot's actions during the transition from the initial landing attempt to the aborted landing maneuver.
Findings
- The aircraft began to drift leftward following a minor bounce on the runway surface.
- The pilot attempted a go-around to correct the aircraft's position and avoid Runway 06L.
- The pilot became distracted by a high workload during the critical phase of the maneuver, which directly led to the aircraft entering a stall.