What happened
On 24 July 2021, a Piper PA-28-235 Cherokee, registration ZS-FTC, was conducting a private flight from The Coves private airstrypt in the North West province to the Kralingen Farm private airstrip in Limpopo. The flight, operated under Part 91 regulations, included a pilot and three passengers.
Upon arriving at the destination, the pilot performed an overhead inspection of the airfield before initiating a left-side circuit for a landing on Runway 18. During the final approach, the pilot noted a northerly wind and a gusty eastern component, though official weather reports from nearby Polokwane and Wonderboom airports indicated relatively calm conditions.
As the aircraft touched down at approximately 0842Z, the nose landing gear wheel sank into loose sand on the uneven runway surface. This caused the pilot to lose directional control, and the aircraft veered toward the left side of the runway. Despite attempts to correct the deviation with right rudder, the nose gear strut collapsed upon hitting rough terrain at the runway edge. The impact caused the propeller to strike the ground, resulting in the engine stopping. The occupants were able to disembark the aircraft without injury, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the propeller and nose gear.