Overview
On 30 November 2002, a Piper PA28-161 aircraft, registration ZS-OSX, was involved in an accident at Brits Aerodrome (FABS) during a private flight. The pilot, who held a valid private pilot licence with 74.3 total flying hours (9.3 hours on type), was attempting to depart for Grand Central Aerodrome (FAGC). The aircraft had three occupants (pilot plus two) and no injuries or fatalities were reported.
Take-Off Attempt
The pilot initiated a take-off from Runway 02, which is an up-sloping runway. Meteorological conditions included light and variable surface wind, temperature of 31°C, and visibility classified as CAVOK. The aircraft's acceleration during the initial ground roll was poor. When the aircraft reached approximately 50% of the runway length, the airspeed was insufficient for take-off. The pilot decided to abort the take-off and attempted to stop the aircraft on the remaining runway, but it skidded off the end of the runway, veered to the right, and impacted vegetation on the side of the runway.
Conditions and Aircraft Performance
According to the report, considering the performance capabilities of the aircraft type and the runway conditions and surroundings, the aircraft would have only marginally been able to take off from that runway. Additionally, the tachometer (RPM) was not functioning properly, which contributed to the pilot's uncertainty regarding whether the engine was producing full power. The previous Mandatory Periodic Inspection (MPI) was certified at 1071.1 airframe hours on 15 November 2002, and the aircraft had accumulated 52.2 airframe hours since that inspection. The aircraft maintenance organization that certified the last MPI held a valid approval.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was that due to the poor acceleration performance of the aircraft, the pilot aborted the take-off with insufficient runway length available to stop it, and the aircraft skidded off the end of the runway. Contributing factors were the pilot's decision to take off on the up-sloping runway during high-density altitude conditions and the unserviceable tachometer, which gave erroneous indications and made the pilot unsure if the engine was producing full power.