What happened
On 17 November 2003, a Jabiru SP, registration ZU-JOS, was completing a training flight when it returned to George Aerodrome (FAGG) for landing. The aircraft, carrying a pilot and one passenger, was cleared to land on Runway 11 under favorable weather conditions, characterized by clear skies and a light 5-knot crosswind from the right.
Upon touching down, the aircraft began to yaw toward the right. In an effort to correct this movement, the pilot applied left rudder, which inadvertently caused the aircraft to yaw toward the left. As the situation became increasingly unstable, the pilot attempted to prevent a runway excursion by applying maximum braking and full right rudder. This sequence of inputs led to the aircraft tipping over onto its left wing. The impact with the runway surface resulted in the destruction of the wooden propeller and damage to the left wing.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight maneuvers and the mechanical state of the aircraft. Records indicated that the aircraft had undergone its most recent annual inspection on 12 November 2003, with only 10.2 flight hours accumulated since that certification. The pilot held a valid private pilot license and had 112 total flying hours, though only 2.5 hours were logged on this specific aircraft type.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the loss of directional control during the landing roll.
- The pilot's attempt to rectify the initial rightward yaw with left rudder input exacerbated the instability.
- The application of full right rudder and heavy braking during the uncontrolled yaw caused the aircraft to wing over.