Accident Overview
On 19 April 2002, a Cessna 177 RG aircraft, registration ZS-JMW, was involved in an accident during a private flight from Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB) to Tzaneen Aerodrome. The flight departed at 0527Z with one pilot and two passengers on board. The weather was fine with calm winds.
Sequence of Events
The pilot requested taxi clearance at 0522Z and was instructed by air traffic control (ATC) to taxi to the holding point of Runway 29. The pilot acknowledged and read back the clearance correctly. However, the pilot instead taxied the aircraft to the threshold of Runway 11 and reported ready for departure. ATC cleared the aircraft for takeoff from Runway 29, which the pilot acknowledged.
The pilot commenced takeoff from Runway 11. Shortly thereafter, ATC instructed another aircraft on final approach for Runway 29 to turn right due to conflicting traffic that had taken off from the wrong runway. The pilot of ZS-JMW then advised ATC that he was turning right to avoid oncoming traffic, acknowledging that he had taken off from Runway 11.
ATC directed the oncoming traffic to execute a go-around and instructed the accident aircraft to vacate left and report on final approach for Runway 29 for a full stop landing. The accident aircraft then made a sharp left turn with a bank angle exceeding 45 degrees, leveled off, and continued eastbound at a very low altitude. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft collided with the boundary wall of a house and a lapa in Doornpoort. A post-impact fire erupted, consuming nearly the entire aircraft and the lapa.
Occupant Injuries
All three occupants sustained fatal injuries from the impact and the subsequent fire.
Probable Cause
The pilot taxied from the parking bay to the threshold of Runway 11 instead of Runway 29. The ATC failed to observe the aircraft taxiing to the wrong runway from which the pilot then took off. Realising his mistake, the pilot attempted to avoid oncoming traffic by turning sharply, which manoeuvres probably increased the stall speed of the aircraft resulting in a failure to maintain flying speed and a collision with the ground.