What happened
On 8 November 2009, a Jabiru SP aircraft, registration ZU-COX, was conducting a training flight from Kitty Hawk Aero Estate to Rhino Park Airfield in the Gauteng Province. The flight, involving an instructor and a student pilot, was intended to perform a touch-and-go maneuver on runway 27.
As the aircraft was on final approach at approximately 20 feet above the ground, it encountered a severe gust of wind. In response, the student pilot initiated a go-around, applying full power and adjusting the flaps from landing to approach configuration. However, a second intense gust of wind struck the aircraft from the right. This gust lifted the right wing and forced the aircraft into a left roll, pushing it toward the edge of the runway.
During this loss of control, the aircraft's left main landing gear struck a pile of rocks located near a runway under construction. The impact caused the aircraft to cartwheel, resulting in the separation of the left wing. The aircraft eventually came to a stop in an upright position. Both occupants escaped the wreckage without injury, but the Jabiru SP was destroyed.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the meteorological conditions and the aircraft's performance capabilities. The investigation established that the wind at the time was blowing from 330 degrees at 20 knots. Using a crosswind calculator, investigators determined that the crosswind component was approximately 17.3 knots.
The investigation also looked into the environmental factors at Rhino Park Airfield. It was noted that the airfield's directory warns of downdrafts at the intersection of runways 03/21 and the area under construction. The investigators found that the aircraft's flight path passed near a cluster of trees, which likely acted as a wind barrier, contributing to the sudden nature of the gusts. There was no evidence of mechanical failure or structural defects in the aircraft prior to the impact with the rocks.