What happened
On 12 November 2006, a Samba UF10, registration ZU-OHS, was engaged in a training flight between Lanseria Aerodrome and Brits Aerodrome. During the return leg to Lanseria, the pilot elected to divert back to Brits Aerodrome due to concerns regarding strong winds destabilizing the aircraft.
While positioned approximately 4 miles from the airfield, the pilot was in contact with an aircraft on the ground. This ground-based aircraft attempted to warn the pilot of a substantial tailwind component present on the approach to runway 20. However, the pilot, experiencing nervousness, misinterpreted this warning. Consequently, the pilot transitioned the approach from runway 02 to runway 20, which was subject to a 15-knot tailwind. During the landing roll on runway 20, the aircraft bounced multiple times. In an attempt to stabilize the aircraft, the pilot pushed the nose down, resulting in an impact that caused the nose wheel to separate from the airframe and damaged the propeller blades. There were no fatalities and no injuries reported.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the flight circumstances and the mechanical state of the aircraft. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft had recently undergone its annual inspection, with only 0.3 airframe hours flown since the certification. The meteorological conditions at the time were reported as CAVOK with a surface wind of 360 degrees at 15 knots.
Findings
- The pilot's lack of flying experience led to a misunderstanding of critical wind information provided by an aircraft on the ground.
- The decision to land on runway 20 resulted in the aircraft encountering a 15-knot tailwind.
- The landing sequence involved multiple bounces on the runway.
- The separation of the nose gear and propeller damage were caused by the pilot overcorrecting the aircraft's attitude during the landing impact.