What happened
On the morning of 22 December 2006, a Partenavia P68-TC, registration ZS-PBR, was involved in a ground incident at a private aerodrome near Alldays. While the pilot was taxiing toward the threshold of Runway 27, they attempted a maneuver to the right of the runway centerline to facilitate a left-hand turn for takeoff. During this movement, the nose wheel encountered a subsurface hole composed of soft sand. The impact caused the upper torque link to fail and led to a partial separation of the nose landing gear bulkhead from the aircraft's nose structure.
The investigation
Investigators examined the runway surface, which consisted of compacted sand and gravel. The airfield had recently undergone construction, a process that required significant tree clearing. The investigation established that the runway surface contained a hole approximately 30cm deep. It was determined that tree roots had not been entirely removed during the construction phase; as these roots decomposed, they left behind voids in the sub-surface. The pilot, who held a valid commercial license, was uninjured in the event.