What happened
On September 29, 2001, at approximately 11:25Z, a PIPER PA-30, registration ZS-JCJ, was involved in a landing incident. The aircraft, which was being operated for private purposes, was attempting to land on Runway 19 under favorable meteorological conditions, characterized by fine weather and a light southerly wind.
During the landing sequence, the aircraft's undercarriage was not deployed. While the aircraft sustained no injuries to the single occupant and no fatalities were reported, the error resulted in an improper landing configuration.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators reviewed the maintenance history and the pilot's operational actions. The investigation established that the aircraft had been maintained according to prescribed intervals. Specifically, the next Maintenance Program Inspection (MPI) was not due until June 14, 2002, or upon reaching 7,920 flying hours. At the time of the occurrence, the aircraft had only flown 27 hours since its previous inspection.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was that the pilot neglected to lower the undercarriage prior to touchdown.
- The pilot acknowledged the oversight during the post-accident inquiry.