What happened
On 25 July 2006, an Aerotrike Cobra, registration ZU-DGW, was involved in an accident during a landing at Xanatsi Private Aerodrome, located within the Klaserie Game Reserve in Limpopo Province. The aircraft was being operated for private pleasure flight purposes.
Upon approaching the dirt runway, the pilot completed the landing but drifted to the right of the runway centerline. As the aircraft decelerated, the pilot attempted to correct the aircraft's position by initiating a left turn. During this maneuver, the aircraft lost stability and rolled over onto its left side. While there were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries to the pilot or the passenger, the aircraft sustained significant damage, specifically to the wing structure where the left-hand leading edge tube failed upon ground impact.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators reviewed the maintenance history and operational parameters of the aircraft. The Aerotrike Cobra held a valid Authority to Fly, which was active at the time of the incident. Records indicated that the most recent annual inspection had been completed on 15 November 2005, with only 8 flying hours accumulated since that certification. The investigation also confirmed that the inspection was performed by an accredited Approved Person.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the pilot initiated a turn at a speed exceeding the safe maneuvering ground speed.
- The aircraft's deviation from the centerline prompted a corrective action that was aerodynamically unsafe for the current velocity.
- The impact with the ground resulted in the structural failure of the left-hand wing leading edge tube.