What happened
On 27 July 2003, a Thunderbird MkII microlight, registration ZS-VOK, was involved in an accident at a private aerodrome in the Mnandi area near Centurion. The pilot had been performing circuits and landings at a different private aerodrome in Atteridgeville before relocating to the Mnandi site. After landing on Runway 23, the pilot departed again via Runway 05. Following the completion of one circuit, the pilot lined up on Runway 05 for a subsequent takeoff. During the takeoff roll, just before the aircraft reached rotation speed, it drifted toward the right side of the runway. This movement caused the right wing to strike a pole located adjacent to the runway. The aircraft continued to veer right, coming to a stop approximately 10 meters past the point of impact.
The investigation
The investigation established that the aircraft sustained damage to its propeller, landing gear, and right wing. There were no injuries reported following the event. Records indicated that the aircraft's last annual inspection had been completed on 9 February 2003, at which time the airframe had 294.2 hours; at the time of the accident, the aircraft had flown an additional 15.2 hours. The pilot held a valid microlight license and had 35 total flying hours, with 37.1 hours logged on this specific type. Meteorological conditions at the time were clear with good visibility and a light wind of 10 knots.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the pilot allowed the aircraft to drift to the right during the takeoff roll.
- This lateral drift resulted in the right wing making contact with a pole situated to the right of the runway.