What happened
On 21 January 2001, a Ximango AMT 2005 motor glider, registration ZS-GWD, was conducting a local pleasure flight departing from Ladybrand. The flight was carrying a pilot and one passenger. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft traveled approximately 450 meters before the tail wheel lifted at an airspeed of 40 knots. At this moment, the aircraft experienced a violent veer to the left, causing it to depart the left side of runway 07.
As the aircraft became airborne, the right wing struck a mound, triggering a ground loop that caused the aircraft to rotate 180 degrees. The aircraft eventually came to a stop roughly 30 meters left of the runway centerline. While the aircraft suffered substantial damage, there were no injuries to the occupants.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the sequence of the takeoff roll and the physical evidence at the accident site. The investigation established that the aircraft was operating under clear meteorological conditions with no cloud cover and a temperature of 28°C. The investigation focused on the aircraft's behavior once the tail wheel was lifted and the subsequent contact with the terrain.