Incident Overview
On 8 June 2002, at approximately 1230Z, a Piper J3C-65 (registration ZS-BID) was involved in a collision with a fire vehicle during the Emnotweni Lowveld Airshow at Nelspruit Aerodrome. The aircraft was part of a planned mock-up exercise called the 'Crazy Flying Act', orchestrated by the aircraft owner and pilot in coordination with the Nelspruit Airport Operating Company.
Sequence of Events
According to the report, the pilot/owner, disguised as 'Sheik Abdul Hassan', initially landed near the commentators' stand in a Jet Ranger. The pilot (the owner's son) then taxied the Piper Cub and stopped in front of the stand. After a brief interaction, the 'Sheik' was secured in the rear seat. The pilot attempted to start the engine, but it stopped. He then exited the aircraft, manually swung the propeller, and started the engine. The 'Sheik' immediately taxied the aircraft and took off without the pilot to execute the stunt.
The Stunt and Collision
During the performance, the pilot deviated from the proposed plan by turning the aircraft around and flying very low towards the fire vehicle and Netcare 911 emergency vehicle, which were following the aircraft. The right main wheel struck the water cannon on top of the fire vehicle, causing the main wheel assembly to separate from the aircraft. The wheel assembly then bounced onto the Netcare 911 vehicle, causing extensive damage to it.
Emergency Landing and Injuries
Following the collision, the pilot made an emergency landing on the grass on the eastern side of Runway 22. The undersurface and right side of the fuselage sustained only slight damage. The pilot was not injured, and the driver of the Netcare 911 vehicle sustained slight injuries. No other injuries were reported.
Probable Cause
The pilot deviated from the proposed plan when he turned the aircraft around at a very low level and impacted the water cannon on top of the fire vehicle. The emergency vehicles also aggravated the situation when they deviated from the proposed plan and turned around on the runway to follow the aircraft.