What happened
On 08 May 2002, a BEECH V35A, registered as ZS-FZC, departed from Wonderboom Airport (FAWB) bound for Hoopstad Aerodrome. The flight was being conducted as a private operation with the pilot and two passengers on board.
Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the aircraft experienced a series of instrument failures. Initially, the turn and bank coordinator stopped functioning, followed shortly by the loss of the GPS signal. Recognizing an electrical malfunction, the pilot deactivated the strobe lights and the rotating beacon to manage the load. The situation escalated when the engine temperature and oil pressure gauges also ceased to operate.
As the aircraft approached Hoopstad, the pilot manually deployed the landing gear. To verify the gear's status, the pilot requested that a passenger contact ground personnel to confirm the gear appeared extended. During the landing circuit for Runway 32, the pilot attempted to deploy the flaps, but the system failed to respond. Upon touchdown, the aircraft traveled 80 meters along the runway before the undercarriage collapsed, causing the aircraft to skid to the right and exit the runway. There were no injuries to the three occupants.
The investigation
Because no on-site investigation was performed, investigators relied on the findings of the Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO) that repaired the aircraft. The AMO determined that the landing gear had not fully extended due to an electrical failure. Furthermore, the investigation established that the emergency gear extension mechanism had not been manually cranked into the fully locked position.
Notably, subsequent inspections of the electrical system revealed no identifiable faults, leaving the origin of the initial instrument failures unexplained. Records indicated the aircraft's last Maintenance Program Inspection (MPI) had been completed in May 2001, with 60.3 flight hours logged since that inspection.