What happened
On 9 August 2007, a Piper PA20-150, registration ZS-CCX, was engaged in a training flight from Rand Aerodrome to Syferfontein Aerodrome. The flight involved an instructor and a student pilot who had successfully completed approximately a dozen take-offs and landings at both Panorama and Syferfontein prior to the incident.
During a landing on runway 31, the student pilot performed a 'wheeler' landing. As the aircraft slowed toward taxi speed and the tail wheel made contact with the runway, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of directional control. Despite coordinated efforts from both the instructor and the student to stabilize the plane using the brakes, rudder, and a burst of engine power, the aircraft entered a right-hand ground loop. The momentum of the loop caused the left landing gear to collapse, leading the aircraft to strike the ground on its nose. The aircraft eventually came to rest on the right side of the runway.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the aircraft's mechanical state and the flight conditions. The investigation confirmed that the weather was clear with good visibility and no significant wind. Maintenance records for the Piper PA20-150 were found to be in order, with the last periodic inspection completed recently by a certified maintenance organization. The investigation also noted that the aircraft had been involved in two previous incidents involving loss of directional control.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the student pilot's loss of directional control due to insufficient experience, which the instructor failed to correct in a timely manner.
- The physical damage to the aircraft, including the collapsed left gear, damaged propeller, and impact to the left wing and elevator, was entirely a result of the ground loop.
- Potential fatigue may have been a contributing factor, given the high number of landings performed during the session.
- There were no mechanical or environmental defects contributing to the loss of control.