What happened
On 15 June 2000, a Cessna 320, registered as ZS-DZL, was involved in an accident during a flight departing from and returning to Brakpan. The pilot, operating the aircraft privately, had completed a circuit of the general flying area and intended to perform a touch-and-go landing. During this maneuver, the aircraft veered off its intended path and crashed adjacent to the runway. There were no fatalities and no injuries reported following the impact.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the loss of control. The investigation focused on the mechanical performance of the engines during the landing sequence. The pilot provided testimony indicating that an imbalance in engine power contributed to the incident. Specifically, the pilot noted that the left turbocharger failed to spool up at the same rate as the right turbocharger, creating an asymmetrical thrust condition.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the loss of directional control during the touch-and-go procedure.
- An imbalance in engine response, characterized by the left turbocharger lagging behind the right, induced a yawing motion that the pilot could not counteract.