What happened
On 17 September 2006, a Cessna 172, registration ZS-ILP, was involved in an excursion on runway 06R at Lanseria Aerodrome. The flight was a training session intended to consolidate landing techniques. Prior to the incident, the instructor had conducted several successful maneuvers, including landings with varying flap settings and a simulated engine failure, and subsequently authorized the student to fly solo.
During a touch-and-go attempt, the student pilot approached runway 06R at an airspeed of 80 mph with a 20-degree flap configuration. Upon touchdown, the aircraft ballooned off the runway surface. In an attempt to recover, the pilot reduced the flaps to 10 degrees, applied full power, and pulled back on the control column. This maneuver triggered the stall warning. Although the pilot attempted to correct the pitch by pushing the column forward, the aircraft veered toward the right side of the runway. The aircraft eventually struck a perimeter fence before coming to a halt.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence, the aircraft's mechanical state, and the training context. It was noted that the aircraft had undergone its last mandatory periodic inspection on 18 August 2006, with approximately 47.8 flight hours logged since that service. The training school involved held a valid Approved Training Organization (ATO) license.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained significant damage to its wings, propeller, and tail plane, and the nose wheel was sheared off during the collision.
- The pilot escaped the wreckage without injury.
- The primary factor in the accident was that the student pilot pitched the aircraft nose too high during the go-around attempt, leading to a stall and subsequent loss of directional control.