What happened
On 21 September 2008, a private flight departed from Wings Park Aerodrome in the Eastern Cape. The aircraft, a Dynaero MCR 4S with registration ZU-HLD, was carrying a pilot and three passengers. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was observed circling the area at an altitude of approximately 700 feet.
An eyewitness, operating another aircraft, witnessed the ZU-HLD entering a descending spin. The observer noted the aircraft completing roughly three revolutions before it disappeared below the horizon. Upon reaching the site, the witness discovered that the aircraft had struck the ground and was engulfed in flames. The impact and subsequent post-impact fire resulted in four fatalities.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and the aircraft's operational history. A teardown inspection of the Rotax 914 engine revealed no mechanical failures or anomalies that could have caused an in-flight power loss. The engine was found to have been running at the time of impact, as evidenced by a detached propeller blade.
Investigators also reviewed the aircraft's weight and balance. The investigation established that the aircraft was operating significantly outside its permitted load envelope. Furthermore, the aircraft lacked a stall warning system, and previous flight experience with the type suggested the aircraft could stall without prior aerodynamic buffeting to alert the pilot.
Findings
- The aircraft had exceeded its Maximum Certified Mass by approximately 40.66 kg, which increased the stall speed.
- The pilot possessed limited experience specifically on this aircraft type.
- The aircraft was not equipped with a stall warning system.
- The aircraft entered a spin and stalled, though the precise trigger for the initial stall could not be definitively determined.