What happened
On 8 February 2001, a Windlass Trike, registration ZU-AHD, was engaged in an aerial survey mission near Port Nolloth. The flight departed from a dirt road within the town, heading west, with the intention of proceeding to Baken near the Orange River. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot initiated a turn toward the north. During this maneuver, the aircraft began a rapid descent. The aircraft narrowly avoided striking the roof of a two-story building before ultimately crashing into a brickyard located in the center of the town. The impact caused extensive damage to the aircraft and destroyed a wooden fence separating the brickyard from an adjacent hardware store.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight conditions, the aircraft's mechanical state, and the circumstances of the takeoff. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were reported as fine. The pilot held a valid Multi-Pilot License (MPL) with the appropriate type endorsement and had recorded 119.1 total flying hours. The investigation also confirmed that the aircraft was not part of any South African Police Service (SAPS) National Operations list or any tasking by the SAPS Air Wing.
Findings
- The primary factor in the loss of altitude was that the aircraft was overloaded.
- Due to the excess weight, the wings failed to generate sufficient lift to maintain altitude during the northward turn.
- Both the pilot and the passenger sustained broken legs in the crash, though there were no fatalities.
- The accident occurred during an aerial survey/observation operation.