Accident Details
On 23 October 2002, at approximately 1205Z, a Cessna 402 C aircraft registered ZS-NMV was landing on Runway 35 at Grand Central Airport, South Africa. The aircraft was on a domestic charter flight from Madikwe Aerodrome to Grand Central Airport. The weather at the time was fine, with a temperature of +28°C, wind 340°/5kt, and the runway length was sufficient for the landing.
Aircraft and Flight
The aircraft was a Cessna 402 C, operated under commercial license by a 24-year-old pilot-in-command with total flying experience of 2,685.0 hours, of which 249.40 hours were on type. The pilot's license was valid. The flight carried 1 pilot and 5 passengers. The last point of departure was Madikwe Aerodrome, and the intended landing point was Grand Central Airport.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, she lowered the landing gear and obtained three green lights indicating gear down and locked. She then landed on both main wheels approximately 400 meters past the threshold of Runway 35 with full flaps deployed. As the nose wheel touched the ground, the landing gear warning light illuminated and the warning horn sounded. Shortly thereafter, the nose landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to skid on the nose undersurface. The aircraft came to rest approximately three-quarters of the way down the runway.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot and passengers did not sustain any injuries. The aircraft sustained damage to the nose landing gear, and both propellers struck the ground.
Investigation
Post-accident testing of the landing gear extension, down lock, and indication systems found them satisfactory in all respects. The investigation could not determine whether the pilot inadvertently moved the landing gear switch to the "UP" position during the landing roll instead of the flaps. No probable cause was established.