What happened
On the afternoon of 29 August 2025, a flight instructor and a student pilot were preparing for a training flight from Springs Aerodrome (FASI) in Gauteng Province. The intended route was toward the Vaal Dam in the Free State, with a return to FASI. The flight was being conducted under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) as part of a Part 141 training operation.
Following a successful pre-flight inspection where no anomalies were noted, the crew started both engines and confirmed all cockpit indications were normal. As the pilot was taxiing the Piper PA-34-200T, registration ZS-MLD, at a slow speed from the grass parking area toward the asphalt taxiway, the nose landing gear suddenly collapsed. This caused the nose and the propeller blades to strike the asphalt surface. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries resulting from the incident, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the mechanical components of the aircraft's nose landing gear. The investigation focused on the forward-retracting mechanism, specifically the geometric down-lock system. In the Piper PA-34-200T, the gear is held in the extended position by a drag link assembly and a down-lock spring link. The investigation reviewed the maintenance history of ZS-MLD, noting that the aircraft had undergone a maintenance inspection on 12 August 2025, approximately 47 hours prior to the incident.
Investigators also reviewed the aircraft's operational history, noting that this specific model has a documented history of nose gear collapse incidents globally. The investigation also looked into the possibility of structural fatigue or damage from previous operations.