What happened
On 28 April 2006, a Windlass Aquilla, registration ZU-RBY, was involved in an accident at a private aerodrome located in the Mnandi area near Centurion. The pilot was conducting flight training consisting of simulated forced landings. During the approach for one of these maneuvers, the aircraft drifted leftward, moving off the runway surface. As the aircraft moved toward the edge of the runway, the nose wheel struck a rock that was hidden from view by tall grass. This impact caused the aircraft to nose over.
There were no fatalities and no serious injuries resulting from the event, though the pilot sustained minor injuries. The aircraft suffered damage to its propeller, wings, instrument pod, and nose wheel.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Meteorological reports indicated CAVOK conditions with light and variable westerly winds. The aircraft's Authority to Fly was valid, and the most recent annual inspection had been completed on 7 April 2006. At the time of the accident, the airframe had flown only 16.3 hours since that inspection. The investigation also confirmed that the person responsible for certifying the annual inspection held a valid approved person status.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the pilot inadvertently allowed the aircraft to drift left of the runway centerline during the landing phase.
- A significant contributing factor was the presence of a rock on the left edge of the runway that was obscured by tall grass, making it impossible for the pilot to see the hazard before impact.