Accident Overview
On 24 June 2010, at 0830Z, an Ikarus C42 aeroplane, registration ZU-EFG, operated by an aviation training organisation, took off from Oudtshoorn Aerodrome (FAOH) in the Western Cape, South Africa. The aircraft was piloted by a student pilot on his first solo flight. The training flight was conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC).
Sequence of Events
During the landing on runway 22 at FAOH, the aircraft veered to the left while on the landing roll. The student pilot applied opposite (right) rudder but the veering did not stop. He then decided to increase power and initiate a go-around. Approximately 400 metres down the runway, at an indicated airspeed of approximately 45 knots, the aircraft lifted off with a higher-than-normal nose attitude. The pilot stated that the left wing immediately dropped. The left wing and propeller then impacted the ground 44 metres to the left of the runway centreline. The aircraft cartwheeled and came to rest approximately 60 metres to the left of the centreline, facing 280° magnetic. The first ground impact was from the left wing tip, followed by the propeller and engine. The final aircraft attitude was nose-down with the left wing low.
Injuries and Damage
The student pilot was not injured during the accident. The aircraft was destroyed. No other damage was caused.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The student pilot, aged 25, held a student pilot licence but the Ikarus C42 type was not endorsed on his licence, rendering his licence invalid for that aircraft. His total flying experience was 19.5 hours, with 14.0 hours on the Ikarus C42. The aircraft, manufactured in 2006 by Comco Ikarus GMBH, had a total airframe time of 294.2 hours. The engine was a Rotex 912 ULS with 294.2 hours since new. The last annual inspection was conducted on 5 June 2010 at 99.3 hours by an approved maintenance organisation.
Meteorological Conditions
Weather at the time included wind from 250° true north at 4 knots, visibility greater than 10 kilometres, temperature 9°C, dew point 4°C, and no cloud cover.
Probable Cause and Contributing Factor
The probable cause of the accident was the student pilot's application of incorrect go-around technique, placing the aircraft behind the drag curve and resulting in a stall that made ground impact inevitable. A contributing factor was that the aircraft was not equipped with a stall warning system.