What happened
On 2 February 2008, a Cessna T2/10L, registration A2-MZW, was performing a private flight at Klipvlei (Njiri Game Lodge) in the Limpopo province. The flight, which included the pilot and three passengers, lasted approximately 30 minutes. During the approach, the pilot noticed that the landing gear indicator lights were not illuminated, suggesting the gear was not fully locked. After manually extending the gear and waiting for animals to clear the gravel runway, the pilot attempted the landing.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft bounced. During the subsequent impact, the nose landing gear separated from the airframe. The aircraft came to a stop approximately 650 meters beyond the runway threshold, with the propeller making contact with the ground and the lower nose section sustaining significant damage. There were no fatalities and no injuries among the four occupants.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the sequence of events and the aircraft's documentation. The investigation established that the pilot abandoned the aircraft immediately following the accident and did not report the occurrence until two days later, despite good cellular reception being available at the site.
Furthermore, the investigation reviewed the aircraft's regulatory compliance. It was noted that the aircraft's Radio Station Licence had expired in July 2007, and the pilot was operating without a valid medical certificate. Additionally, the aircraft was not carrying a copy of its Certificate of Airworthiness, and no magnetic compass correction chart was available on board.