History of Flight
On 20 April 2011 at approximately 1130Z, a pilot accompanied by five passengers was conducting a private flight under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) from New Bradford farm near Wesley to East London aerodrome (FAEL). The pilot obtained pre-flight weather information from the internet, which appeared suitable for VFR flight. The plan was to fly the passengers to East London for a subsequent flight to Durban.
Before departure, a thorough pre-flight inspection, including fuel drain checks, was performed. The pilot supervised embarkation and gave an emergency briefing. The aircraft was started, taxied onto the runway (approximately 600 meters long), and turned into the wind. The pilot completed pre-takeoff checks and began the takeoff run downslope.
According to the pilot, the takeoff was normal until rotation, when the left wing dropped and the aircraft rolled to the right of the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct but was unsuccessful. The aircraft impacted the runway surface and skidded to the right of the centerline for approximately 35 meters. It then struck a mound of sand and flipped over, coming to rest inverted, facing the direction it came from. The left wing caught fire.
The pilot switched off the master, closed the fuel selector, unbuckled, and helped passengers evacuate. All occupants disembarked unharmed. The pilot used a handheld Halon fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. Everyone then returned to the farmhouse.
The accident was not initially reported. Five days later, on 25 April 2011, a training aircraft from 43 Air School spotted the wreckage from the air and reported it to ATC at FAEL. A police helicopter confirmed the scene, and the investigation was initiated.
Injuries to Persons
No injuries were sustained. The pilot and five passengers were uninjured.
Damage to Aircraft
The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Other Damage
Damage was limited to a fence surrounding the farm and a small portion of grass destroyed by fire.
Probable Cause
It is possible that the pilot rotated too early, whereafter the aircraft entered an aerodynamic stall at an altitude insufficient to recover, rendering ground impact inevitable.