What happened
On the morning of February 11, 2001, a Windlass Trike, registration ZS-WTW, was conducting a series of private flights departing from and returning to Widenham Beach-Unkomaas. During one of these maneuvers, while the aircraft was flying over the ocean to reposition itself for a landing back on the beach, the right-hand wing tip struck the water. This impact caused the microlight to descend into the sea.
The investigation
The investigation into the accident focused on the flight path and the altitude of the aircraft during its final approach. The aircraft was being operated for private purposes with two people on board. The weather conditions at the time of the occurrence were reported as fine. The inquiry examined the sequence of the flight, noting that the aircraft had successfully completed several previous flights from the beach prior to the fatal incident.
Findings
Investigators determined that the accident was caused by insufficient altitude during a turn. As the pilot attempted to maneuver the aircraft over the sea, the lack of vertical clearance allowed the right wing tip to make contact with the sea surface, resulting in the crash. The impact resulted in one fatality and one injury. While the passenger sustained serious injuries, the pilot succumbed to their injuries nine days after the accident.