What happened
On 11 July 2022, a solo training flight conducted under Part 141 regulations resulted in a serious incident at Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB) in Gauteng. The aircraft, a Cessna 172M with registration ZS-JBO, was being operated by a student pilot performing maneuvers within the general flying area.
Following a routine takeoff, the pilot proceeded with training exercises under visual meteorological conditions. During the return to the aerodrome for landing on Runway 11, the pilot encountered traffic, necessitating an extended downwind leg. As the aircraft transitioned to the base leg, it was at an altitude of approximately 950 feet AGL. Upon reaching the final approach at roughly 500 feet AGL, the pilot noted that the aircraft was maintaining a low airspeed of approximately 60 knots, which was below the recommended 65 to 70 knots specified in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook.
In an attempt to correct the approach, the pilot increased engine power from 1500 to 1800 RPM. However, the aircraft remained too high on its glide path, leading to a deep and heavy touchdown. The aircraft bounced once, and the nose landing gear struck the runway surface first. The impact caused the nose wheel assembly to fail, though the pilot managed to bring the aircraft to a stop on the runway centerline. There were 0 injuries to the single occupant.
The investigation
The SACAA AIID investigation confirmed that the student pilot held a valid Student Pilot Licence and Class 2 medical certificate. The aircraft's maintenance records showed that a mandatory period inspection had been completed recently, with only 32.7 hours flown since the last service. The investigation established that the aircraft was within weight and balance limits and that the safety harness functioned as intended during the impact. The damage was localized to the nose wheel hubs and the tire assembly.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was that the aircraft was too high on final approach, which led to a deep and hard landing.
- A contributing factor was the low airspeed of the aircraft during the approach phase.
- The impact of the nose gear hitting the runway first resulted in the mechanical failure of the nose wheel hub and tire assembly.