What happened
On 2 August 2019, a Bantam B2/2J aircraft, registration ZU-FIU, departed from Zandspruit Aero Estate in Limpopo Province for a short private flight. During the takeoff roll on Runway 17, the aircraft reached rotation speed when the left-hand main wheel assembly suddenly detached from the airframe.
Upon recognizing the mechanical failure, the pilot executed a teardrop maneuver and transitioned to Runway 35 for a landing. After touching down, the pilot shut down the engine while the aircraft was still in motion, intentionally keeping the left side of the aircraft elevated to prevent the gear from dragging. The aircraft eventually came to a halt approximately 330 meters from the runway threshold. The aircraft sustained minor damage to the brake caliper assembly, and the pilot escaped without injury.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the mechanical state of the landing gear and the maintenance history of the aircraft. The investigation established that the aircraft had recently undergone a 25-hour periodic inspection in May 2019.
Investigators found that the aircraft's manual lacked a clear illustrated parts catalogue for the wheel hub and did not provide explicit instructions for wheel installation. Furthermore, while the owner had previously drilled holes into the landing gear axles to allow for the installation of split pins as an added safety measure, these pins were not utilized on the left-hand side. The investigation also noted that the right-hand axle was similarly missing a split pin.