What happened
On 21 March 2007, a Windlass Trike microlight, registration ZU-AXU, was involved in an accident at Phalaborwa Aerodrome in the Limpopo Province. The aircraft had departed from the same aerodrome for a private scenic flight, which lasted approximately eighty minutes.
Upon returning to the airfield, the pilot attempted to land on Runway 19. While the initial touchdown was reported as normal, the aircraft was struck by a sudden gust of wind from the right side just as it was coming to a halt. The force of this wind was significant enough to pull the control bar from the pilot's hands, leading to a loss of directional control. Consequently, the left wing of the aircraft struck the runway surface. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries reported for the pilot and the passenger.
The investigation
The investigation into the incident examined the aircraft's maintenance status and the environmental conditions at the time of the event. Meteorological data indicated light winds from 150 degrees at 5 knots, with good visibility and clear skies.
Investigators also reviewed the airworthiness documentation for the aircraft. It was determined that the Authority to Fly for the aircraft had expired on 18 October 2006, meaning the aircraft was not legally authorized to fly at the time of the accident. The most recent annual inspection had been completed in October 2005, and the aircraft had flown 51.5 hours beyond that certified inspection period.