What happened
On December 31, 2001, a PA28-140, registered ZS-JTO, was conducting a private flight from a farm known as Crocodile Nest, located approximately 30 nm northwest of Thabimbi, toward Thabimbi Aerodrome. The flight carried a pilot and one passenger.
Upon arrival at the aerodrome, the pilot performed a runway inspection and determined the strip was clear. While establishing a left downwind pattern for Runway 25, a buck suddenly ran onto the runway directly in the aircraft's path. In an attempt to avoid the animal and initiate a go-around, the pilot pulled back on the controls to raise the nose. However, because the aircraft was at a low airspeed, the maneuver could not be completed without obstruction. The left wing of the aircraft struck the top of a tree situated near the runway edge. Despite the impact, the aircraft reached the ground safely with no injuries reported.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the wing strike and the aerodynamic state of the aircraft during the maneuver. Investigators confirmed that the aircraft possessed a valid Certificate of Airworthiness and that the weather conditions at the time were fine. The physical damage was limited to slight impact marks on the left wing.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was an unforeseen obstacle (a buck) entering the runway environment.
- The pilot's attempt to avoid the animal resulted in a low-speed maneuver that lacked sufficient energy to clear nearby vegetation.
- The aircraft's low airspeed during the approach prevented a successful climb to clear the tree adjacent to the runway.