What happened
On May 18, 2002, a PA28-140 aircraft, registered ZS-EEB, was involved in a landing accident at FAPA. The flight was part of a training operation where a student pilot was performing solo consolidation maneuvers in the circuit following a session with an instructor.
During the second circuit of the solo flight, the student pilot landed the aircraft to the right of the runway centerline. In an attempt to correct the aircraft's position and steer back toward the center, the pilot applied left rudder. This maneuver caused the aircraft to initially drift right before suddenly veering sharply to the left, which took the aircraft off the runway surface.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the landing roll and the mechanical state of the aircraft. Investigators confirmed that the weather conditions at the time were favorable, with light winds measuring less than 5 knots. Prior to the incident, the pilot had reported no known defects or abnormalities regarding the aircraft's performance.
Records indicated that the aircraft was being maintained according to prescribed intervals. The next mandatory periodic inspection (MPI) was not due until April 2003, and the aircraft had only flown 61 hours since its previous inspection. The operator held valid accreditation for aviation training at the time of the occurrence.
Findings
As a result of the sudden veer off the runway, the nose gear collapsed. This impact led to significant structural damage, specifically affecting the nose gear fork, the propeller, the tubular engine mount, and the lower section of the engine cowling. The primary factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing phase.