What happened
During a crop-spraying mission in the Normandein area, a GRUMMAN G-164A, registered ZS-IRW, struck an object on the ground during its takeoff roll. The impact caused damage to the lower leading edge of the right-hand wing. Following the incident, the pilot, who also owned the aircraft, attempted to fix the wing using unacceptable repair methods. These unauthorized repairs resulted in further structural degradation, eventually reaching a point where the main spar was deemed beyond economical repair.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators established that the aircraft continued to be operated for several hours following the initial ground strike. The incident only came to the attention of the South African Civil Aviation Authority when the aircraft was presented to an Aircraft Maintenance Organization for a Mandatory Periodic Inspection and necessary repairs. Additionally, the investigation revealed that the agricultural spraying operations were being conducted without the oversight of an approved operator.
Findings
- The initial cause of the damage was the aircraft's right-hand lower wing impacting an object on the ground during takeoff.
- The structural integrity of the wing was further compromised by improper repair techniques applied by the owner.
- The damage to the main spar was severe enough to make professional repair economically unfeasible.
- The spraying operations were not being performed under the authority of an approved agricultural operator.