What happened
On 29 April 2009, a private flight departing from Jag private aerodrome in Cullinan, Gauteng, encountered a sudden mid-air emergency. While flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at approximately 500 feet above ground level, the pilot of the Microlite Antares MA32, registration ZU-CAV, reported hearing a loud bang. Immediately following this sound, the aircraft became uncontrollable and lost its ability to maintain altitude.
Recognizing the danger, the pilot initiated an emergency landing in an open field on a nearby farm. The impact with the ground was severe, causing the aircraft to roll over twice before coming to a halt approximately 80 metres from the initial touchdown point. Despite the substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, undercarriage, and three-blended propeller, there were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and the mechanical state of the aircraft. The inspection revealed that a profile tube had not been properly secured to the bottom pylon. Specifically, investigators found that while a nut and bolt were present, they were fastened to the tube itself rather than being correctly connected to the pylon, and the required split pin was missing.
Findings
- The primary cause of the loss of control was a profile tube that was not properly fitted to the bottom pylon.
- This mechanical failure weakened the aircraft's structure, causing an airfoil distortion that degraded lift and induced a stall.
- The investigation identified poor maintenance practices and a failure by the crew to perform necessary pre-flight visual inspections as contributing factors.