Accident Overview
On 28 October 2002 at 1300Z, a Beech E55 aircraft, registration ZS-IMN, was involved in an accident at Ulusaba Private Aerodrome, located north of Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The pilot held a commercial pilot license with 725.9 total flying hours, including 31.7 hours on type, and was operating a private flight from Grand Central Aerodrome to Ulusaba. The aircraft carried the pilot and four passengers; no injuries occurred.
Sequence of Events
The pilot stated he was unfamiliar with the aerodrome. Upon joining overhead, another pilot familiar with the aerodrome advised using Runway 19 for landing. The pilot touched down approximately 200 meters past the threshold on Runway 19 at an indicated airspeed of 80 mph, with an estimated 800 to 900 meters of runway remaining. Unable to stop the aircraft on the remaining runway, he faced a choice: continue straight through bushes or attempt to turn right onto the apron area. To prevent overrunning the runway end, he steered right toward the apron. During the turn, the left hand main undercarriage collapsed.
Aircraft Damage and Maintenance
The aircraft sustained damage to the left main landing gear, left wing tip, left flap, left hand propeller blades, and the left side of the fuselage. The last Mandatory Periodic Inspection (MPI) before the accident was certified on 19 August 2002 at 2845.2 airframe hours; by the accident, the aircraft had accumulated an additional 42.5 hours. The Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) that certified the last MPI held valid approval number 212, expiring 19 March 2003. A CAA audit on 15 February 2002 at the AMO raised one finding and two observations; no surveillance inspection occurred between 2001 and that audit. The aircraft was first registered in South Africa in November 1971, and all applicable Airworthiness Directives and Service Bulletins were complied with.
Probable Cause
The probable cause, as stated in the official report, is: "The pilot who was not familiar with the aerodrome landed too deep, which required him to take evasive action by turning onto the apron area at a substantial speed, which caused the left-hand main landing gear to collapse."