What happened
On 21 May 2001, a Douglas DC-3, registration ZS-GPL, was conducting a private flight from FAWB to Fly Inn. Prior to the landing attempt on runway 06, the pilot performed a visual inspection of the runway and the surrounding over-and-undershoot areas. At the time of this inspection, the pilot noted that wind conditions were calm.
During the approach, the aircraft touched down approximately 16 meters short of the runway 06 threshold. In this undershoot area, a dirt road runs perpendicular to the runway, adjacent to which a furrow had been dug, leaving a mound of soil at the edge of the road. As the aircraft landed short, both main landing gears struck the dirt road and the soil mound. The right-hand main gear struck a rock within the mound, causing the gear to collapse and forcing the aircraft to veer toward the right side of the runway. The right-hand propeller also made contact with the ground. The aircraft eventually came to a stop roughly 450 meters from the runway threshold. There were no injuries to the two crew members on board, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the site and the environmental conditions present during the landing. While the pilot had observed calm winds during the initial runway inspection, the investigation found that wind conditions had shifted. By the time investigators arrived on-site two hours after the event, a South Westerly wind of approximately 10 knots was blowing.
Findings
- The primary cause of the undershoot was changing wind conditions that increased the aircraft's rate of descent during the final approach.
- The presence of an elevated dirt road and a mound of soil in the undershoot area contributed to the severity of the impact.
- The collision with a rock within the soil mound directly caused the collapse of the right-hand main landing gear.