What happened
On 12 May 2001, a private flight departing from Robertson (FARS) was concluding its journey at Stellenbosch (FASH). During the final moments of the landing sequence, a sudden gust of wind originated from the right side of the aircraft. This lateral force pushed the KR2, registration ZS-WPX, toward the left side of the runway. As a result, the left main undercarriage struck the runway surface prematurely. The impact was severe enough to cause the left main undercarriage to detach from the airframe. Additionally, the left wing tip made contact with the runway, dislodging one of the runway lights.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators reviewed the pilot's credentials and the aircraft's maintenance history. The pilot held a valid private pilot license with the appropriate type rating and possessed a medical certificate that was still active at the time of the incident. Regarding the mechanical state of the KR2, records indicated the aircraft had been properly maintained, having completed only 19.7 hours of flight time since its most recent annual inspection. The investigation focused on the environmental conditions and the physical mechanics of the touchdown.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a sudden wind gust from the right that induced a lateral drift.
- The aircraft's left main undercarriage struck the runway surface first due to this drift.
- The force of the impact led to the structural failure and separation of the left main undercarriage.
- The aircraft sustained substantial damage, though there were no injuries to the pilot.