What happened
On 12 April 2010, a KIS TR-1 aircraft, registration ZU-BMX, was involved in a fatal accident at Petit Aerodrome. The pilot had been performing maintenance on the engine, which involved the temporary removal of the engine cowling. Following the installation of a new battery, the pilot intended to conduct a ground run-up to verify engine performance.
During the taxiing process on runway 21, the aircraft unexpectedly became airborne. As the aircraft gained altitude, it lost control and entered a stall. The left wing struck the ground, followed by the nose of the aircraft. The impact caused the plane to spin approximately 90 degrees and skid across the airfield. A post-impact fire subsequently broke out, which destroyed the aircraft and caused the fatal injury of the pilot.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and interviewed witnesses at the scene. The investigation established that the aircraft was not in an airworthy state for takeoff, as the engine cowling had been left off. The investigation also noted that while the pilot held a valid medical certificate, he was not rated on this specific aircraft type.
Technical records indicated that the aircraft's authority to fly had expired in July 2009, and there were no recorded hours since its last annual inspection. The investigation also noted that the engine maintenance had been performed by personnel not approved by the Aeroclub of South Africa.