What happened
On the afternoon of 25 July 2003, a PIPER PA-30, registered ZS-OBA, was conducting a private flight from FAGC toward Papiesvlakte. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and two passengers. Upon arriving at Papiesvlakte, the pilot successfully completed the landing. However, while taxiing on the dirt runway, the aircraft encountered a hole in the surface. This impact caused the nose landing gear to collapse immediately. The resulting motion led the propeller to strike the ground and triggered the collapse of the right-hand main landing gear, which subsequently caused the right-hand wing to bend.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the ground excursion at Papiesvlakte. The meteorological data at the time of the incident indicated clear skies with no cloud cover, a temperature of +20º C, and light winds from the west at 2-3 knots. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft had been maintained according to all required documentation. No injuries were reported among the three occupants, and the aircraft sustained significant structural damage to the landing gear and wing.