What happened
On 28 April 2006, a Windlass Aquilla, registration ZU-DLS, was involved in an accident during a solo training flight at Ballito Aerodrome. While performing the final approach for landing on Runway 08, the student pilot was flying at an insufficient altitude. The aircraft's undercarriage struck sugar cane crops located just before the runway threshold. This impact resulted in the pilot losing control of the aircraft, leading to a crash. The pilot survived the incident with minor injuries, though the aircraft was substantially damaged.
The investigation
Investigators examined the flight conditions and the pilot's credentials. The pilot was operating under a valid student license and held a medical certificate that was current at the time of the accident. The aircraft, operated by a flying school for training purposes, had undergone its annual inspection only two days prior to the incident. Records indicated the aircraft's authority to fly was valid, and the operating school had been recently audited by the South African Civil Aviation Authority.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the student pilot misjudged the approach height, resulting in an undershoot.
- The contact between the undercarriage and the vegetation short of the runway threshold caused the loss of aircraft control.