Sling 2 Accident at Wagtail Private Aerodrome (ZU-FWY)

Flight Details and Accident Sequence On 9 April 2014, a Sling 2 aircraft, registration ZU-FWY, departed Rustenburg aerodrome for Wagtail private aerodrome in North West, South Africa. The flight was a private operation with the pilot and one passenger on board. During the landing at Wagtail, the aircraft drifted slightly to the left of the runway centreline. On touchdown, the left wingtip struck maize stalks in a field alongside the runway, causing the aircraft to veer left off the runway into the vegetation. The accident resulted in the separation of the nose gear and the wheel on the right main landing gear. Substantial damage was sustained to the right wingtip, propeller, and nose cone, while the left wing was slightly damaged from the impact with the maize stalks. Both occupants evacuated the aircraft without injury. ## Aircraft and Personnel Information The aircraft was a Sling 2 manufactured by The Airplane Factory (Pty) Ltd, with a serial number of 108. It was powered by a Rotax 912 IS engine and equipped with an Airmaster AP332 propeller. At the time of the accident, the airframe had 186.4 total hours. The pilot was a 49-year-old South African female holding a valid private pilot licence for aeroplanes. She had 170 total flying hours, all of which were on the Sling 2 type. The pilot was appropriately qualified for the flight, and the aircraft was maintained in accordance with existing regulations and approved procedures. ## Environmental and Operational Factors The weather conditions at the time of the accident were fine, with a light, variable northerly wind, a temperature of 28°C, and scattered cloud at 7,500 feet. The investigation found that the weather did not contribute to the accident. Wagtail private aerodrome is surrounded by maize lands situated alongside the runway, which played a role in the accident sequence. The accident was considered survivable due to the low kinetic energy associated with the landing, and the occupants were properly restrained by the aircraft-equipped safety harnesses. No pre- or post-impact fire was observed.