What happened
On June 29, 2001, a BEECH F33A, registered ZS-INH, departed from Grand Central Aerodrome on a private flight destined for Nelspruit Aerodrome. During the flight, while positioned near the Witbank area, the aircraft encountered a sudden propeller overspeed condition.
As the pilot determined that Witbank Aerodrome was outside of the aircraft's gliding range, an emergency landing was initiated in an open field near the Witbank coal mines. During the touchdown, the aircraft rolled through a ditch. This impact caused the nose gear to detach from the airframe, led to the collapse of the left-hand main landing gear, and resulted in the propeller striking the ground. The pilot escaped the incident without injury, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the mechanical state of the engine and the flight path. The investigation noted that the aircraft was operating under fine weather conditions at the time of the incident. Records indicated that the aircraft's last major periodic inspection (MPI) had been completed at 3488.53 airframe hours, meaning the accident occurred 65.53 hours after that inspection and 65.53 hours following an engine overhaul.