What happened
On 24 July 2003, a Windlass Trike, registration ZU-DAU, was conducting a training flight departing from Cato Ridge Aerodrome. During the flight, the student pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions characterized by strong winds and severe turbulence, with gusts reaching roughly 20 knots.
In response to the unstable atmospheric conditions, the pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing in an open field located at Easton, KwaZulu-Natal. While the aircraft was performing its ground roll, the nose wheel impacted an anthill that had been hidden by tall grass. This impact caused the nose landing gear to fail, resulting in the aircraft overturning.
The investigation
The investigation confirmed that the student pilot held a valid license and was properly endorsed to operate this specific aircraft type. All necessary flight authorizations were in order, and the aircraft's Authority to Fly was current, having been issued in June 2003. Furthermore, the aircraft was correctly registered to the pilot. The investigation focused on the sequence of the landing roll and the environmental factors present at the landing site.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the nose landing gear striking an anthill that was obscured by vegetation.
- Severe turbulence and high wind gusts necessitated the decision to land away from the aerodrome.
- The presence of tall grass prevented the pilot from identifying the hazard on the landing surface.
- There were no injuries to the pilot and no other occupants were on board.