What happened
On the morning of 8 October 2018, a student pilot was conducting a solo training flight in a Cessna 172L, registration ZS-PZT, at Grand Central Aerodrome (FAGC). The flight was intended for practicing touch-and-go landings on Runway 35. After completing five successful touch-and-go maneuvers, the pilot was positioned on the upwind leg when air traffic control instructed the aircraft to follow another Cessna 172, registration ZS-SCB, which had entered the circuit early.
To maintain proper separation between the two aircraft, the controller directed the pilot of ZS-PZT to perform a right-hand orbit before re-establishing on the downwind leg. During this maneuver, the aircraft's flight path became unstable. Eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft entered a steep right turn that transitioned into a spiral dive. One witness observed the aircraft pitching up sharply at a low altitude, similar to a hammerhead turn, before the right wing lost lift. The aircraft subsequently crashed into a residential property in Vorna Valley, where the impact destroyed the aircraft and caused the deaths of both the pilot and a person on the ground.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and the flight history of the pilot. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was destroyed upon impact, with the fuselage breaking in half after striking a tree. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's training records, noting that while the pilot had completed necessary stall recovery and circuit pattern training, a recent instructor note from a training session on 7 October 2018 indicated a tendency to freeze at the controls.
Radio transcripts from the tower frequency were analyzed, revealing an inaudible, high-pitched sound—described by one pilot as a scream—heard on the frequency immediately before the aircraft was lost from contact. Investigators also reviewed the meteorological conditions, which were noted as visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with light winds.
Findings
- The aircraft entered a spiral dive following a right-hand orbit maneuver.
- The pilot attempted to avoid trees in the flight path, which led to an aerodynamic stall.
- The accident resulted in two fatalities: the pilot and a bystander on the ground.
- The aircraft, a Cessna 172L, was completely destroyed.