History of Flight
A flight instructor and a student pilot departed Rand Aerodrome on a training flight to the general flying area in the Orange Farm region. This was the student pilot’s first official training flight after an introductory flight. An eyewitness who was cutting grass in the area reported that the wind was blowing strongly from the north. The witness then saw the aircraft start to break apart in flight, with pieces of debris falling. One occupant was ejected from the wreckage during the break-up. Both occupants sustained fatal injuries.
Injuries
Both occupants, the instructor and the student, were fatally injured.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Tecnam P92-S Echo, a high-wing, two-seat, single-engine airplane with tricycle landing gear, serial number 806, manufactured in 2004. It was registered as ZU-DMT and operated as a Non-Type Certified Aircraft (NTCA). At the time of the accident, the airframe had accumulated 2,080.1 hours. The engine was a Rotax 912 ULS with 580.1 hours since new. The aircraft had been involved in previous incidents, including a forced landing in August 2007 that resulted in substantial damage; it was repaired and returned to service in July 2008, flying 134.2 hours since.
Meteorological Information
Official weather data from the South African Weather Services indicated a trough of low pressure over the central interior with a cold front passing south. Satellite imagery showed partly cloudy conditions in the area. At the accident site, the most likely conditions were: surface wind 300° true north at 10 knots, temperature 19°C, dew point 10°C, scattered cloud at 2,000 feet and broken at 8,000 feet, light rain evaporating before reaching the ground, and visibility 10 km.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The main wreckage, consisting of the cabin, engine, propeller, landing gear, and other components, was found in an open field. Debris was scattered over approximately 710 meters in a north-northwesterly direction. The aircraft had broken into ten major sections, including the left and right wings, vertical stabilizer, both horizontal stabilizers, and other parts. The propeller blade was partially buried in the ground.
Probable Cause
The aircraft experienced an in-flight break-up due to an aerodynamic overstress failure, most probably induced during recovery from a flight manoeuvre.