What happened
On 24 August 2005, a Beechcraft BE-95-C55, registered ZS-MAA, was conducting a private flight from Rand Aerodrome to Barkly East Aerodrome. The flight, which included the pilot, another pilot, and four passengers, proceeded under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) with favorable weather conditions and clear visibility throughout the journey.
Upon arrival at Barkly East Aerodrome, the aircraft attempted to land on Runway 33. During the landing roll, the aircraft failed to stop within the available runway length, overshooting the pavement and crashing through the runway perimeter fence. The impact caused the nose gear to collapse and the propellers to strike the ground. Despite the impact, there were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries among the six occupants.
The investigation
Investigators examined the operational conditions and the aircraft's maintenance history. The pilot held a valid Commercial Pilot License with appropriate instrument and multi-engine ratings. The aircraft's last Mandatory Periodic Inspection (MPI) had been completed in April 2005, with 69.0 hours flown since that inspection. Records indicated that all relevant Airworthiness Directives and Service Bulletins were up to date at the time of the last inspection.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the pilot misjudged the touchdown point due to a lack of runway markings.
- The absence of runway demarcation contributed to the aircraft landing too deep on the runway, leaving insufficient distance to decelerate.
- The aircraft sustained significant damage to the nose wheel and propellers following the overrun and collision with the perimeter fence.